Day After Day
by FaithinBones
Summary: A collection of Bones short stories. Prompts welcome. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

This is going to be a collection of short stories. Some will be sad and some will be amusing.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooo

It seemed like a day never went by when one of her classmates didn't have something snide or mean to say to Temperance Brennan and that made Ray Buxley so angry and so sad. The child had no friends that he could see and it reminded him too much of his own childhood.

He tried to keep an eye on the lonely teenager and talked to her when he could. He found out that she was a science nerd and she was interested in forensic anthropology. He'd had to look that one up and had been suitably impressed when he'd discovered what it was.

He talked to his sister Mavis about it and she pointed out that he could probably help her with her studies by finding dead animals in the woods behind the school and saving them for her to cut up and examine.

Ray had been a little worried that the girl might think he was some kind of pervert giving her animal carcasses, but Mavis had pointed out that Temperance needed a friend and she needed someone to encourage her in her studies. The child was a diamond stuck in a pile of coal and she and Ray were the only ones that could help that little gem shine. No one else seemed to care.

Oooooooooooooooooo

He'd found her in the back of the school crying and it made him want to kill someone. "Temperance . . . what's wrong Temperance."

Quickly wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her sweater, the child cleared her throat and turned towards the school janitor. "Nothing . . . nothing is wrong."

Ray may have been a man with a limited education, but he was smarter than most of the adults that lived in the child's world. "Hey, Mavis made you some peanut butter cookies. Let me go get them for you. It will cheer you right up."

Her tears gone, Temperance immediately followed Ray as he walked to his office. "I'll go with you. This is my lunch hour so no one will miss me."

His heart aching for the teenager, Ray allowed her to follow him. "Oh, hey Mavis made me a huge lunch and there is no way I can finish it. Would you do me a big favor and help me eat it? You know how Mavis is, if I don't finish it she'll just fuss at me and you know I hate that. She's one of them control freaks you know."

Although she'd never met Mavis, Ray talked about her a lot and Temperance had grown fond of her. "Yes, of course."

Once she was in Ray's office, she sat down next to his desk and watched as he opened a desk drawer and pulled out a paper bag filled with delicious food. Once the two ham sandwiches, the baggy of corn chips, baggy of carrot sticks, baggy of cookies were on the table, he opened his little fridge and pulled out two bottles of coke. "Ha we got us a real feast here. Better that there mystery crap they palm off on you kids and call it nutritious. That bread is homemade and no preservatives and same for the cookies. You know Mavis runs the bakery downtown and no one makes bread and cakes and cookies like she can."

After everything was equally divided, Ray was careful to make sure she ate everything. He didn't trust those Foster parents of hers and he wasn't so sure they fed her right. He vowed to bring food every day and try to pass it on to her. Someone had to take care of the child. "Oh hey, I found a dead skunk in the woods yesterday . . . I brought him here and put him in the fridge. If you want, we can cut him up and look at his insides . . . if you want."

Surprised, Temperance smiled at her friend. "Thank you Mr. Buxley. That sounds like fun."

Pleased that she was interested, Ray nodded his head. "Tell you what. Whenever I find something like that, I'll bring it to school and we can look at it together. Learn how them things I find are put together."

Excited, Temperance finished her sandwich. "Why are you so good to me Mr. Buxley?"

Caught by surprise, Ray rubbed the back of his head. "My late wife died giving birth to my little baby girl. The poor baby didn't live more than a day . . . she'd be about your age now, almost. Anyway, I like you, you got smarts . . . hell let's face it, there ain't no one in this school smarter than you I think. You got what they call potential. If you can keep up with your studies . . . work real hard, you could earn one of those scholarships they give to smart kids and you could leave all these losers behind. You're going to be someone someday, Temperance. I just know it and well, I want to help you because well, if my little baby girl had lived I'd hope she was smart and brave like you are . . . You ignore all these mean kids around here Temperance. School is only a short time in your life and then you'll be away and you can go where you want. You just got to be patient . . . . Do you understand?

His words were the first words of encouragement she'd received since her parents had abandoned her and she soaked them up like a sponge. "I will. Thank you."

Pleased that the child had listened to him, Ray smiled at her. "You're going to be important someday Temperance and when that happens, I'll be able to tell everyone that I was your friend. I am your friend, Temperance. You remember that. When everyone around here is giving you a hard time, you remember Ray and Mavis Buxley are your friends."

"I will." She'd never had an adult friend and somehow it made her feel older and she liked that.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Prom week was fast approaching and Ray saw the writing on the wall. Not one boy in the school was going to step up to the plate and invite Temperance to the party. "Mavis it's just not right. She's almost out of school and them classmates of hers are just as horrible to Temperance as they was last year. Not one of those boys have asked our girl to the Prom. Not one."

Appalled, Mavis sat down on the chair across from Ray and placed her chin in her hand. "We need to have a party for her. We could invite some of our friends and I could bake a cake and stuff and well . . . she wouldn't be alone on Prom night . . . I just hate her classmates."

Slowly nodding his head, Ray thought about it and came to the realization that it was up to them to make Temperance happy. "You're right. We'll invite a few friends and we'll dress up . . . suits and long dresses and . . . yeah, I think we can do it . . . You know Temperance's foster parents barely buy her clothes as it is and I don't want her to waste her money she makes from her part-time job so . . ." He didn't want to seem too forward and maybe he was crossing a line he shouldn't.

Mavis knew how the world was so she knew why her brother was hesitating. "I'll buy her a prom dress. I know the manager of the dress shop "What A Night". She might be able to sell me one at a decent price."

Surprised with the offer, Ray beamed at his sister. "She don't need no damn Prom. If she went her classmates would just ignore her. We'll make sure she has a nice party, something to remember."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

The day before the Prom, Ray met Temperance in his office for lunch. "Hey Temperance. You ain't going to the Prom are you?"

Rather sadly, Temperance shook her head. "No."

Slowly nodding his head, Ray smiled. "Mavis and me are having a party tomorrow night and we wanted to invite you, but not if you were going to the Prom. I'm glad you aren't so now you can come to our party. We're going to have cake and them hors d'oeuvres and punch and probably some finger sandwiches and anyway, Mavis and me want you to come if you want to. Course you don't have to, we just wanted you there because you're going to graduate real soon and then when you get out of here we don't want you to come back and well we want to say good-bye with a party."

Shocked, Brennan's eyes filled with film of tears. "Thank you, Mr. Buxley. Of course, I'll come."

"Good, I'll come pick you up from that house you live in tomorrow night at six." Pleased that she was coming, Ray grinned. "Mavis is looking forward to meeting you."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

On the night of the Prom, Temperance stood in front of the house at ten 'til six and waited patiently. Her foster parents hadn't questioned where she was going and that was fine with her. They never seemed to care what she was up to and at the end of the school year she'd be moving out. They hadn't been the worse foster parents she'd had. Temperance had preferred the indifference to the abuse of previous homes.

At exactly six, Ray pulled up and waited patiently for Brennan to enter his truck. After they arrived at the house he shared with his sister, Ray led her into the house and introduced her to Mavis.

"Oh Honey, I am so glad to finally meet you." Mavis saw the beautiful teenager in front of her and just shook her head in puzzlement that anyone would mistreat someone like Temperance.

Nervously, Temperance noticed the long formal dress Mavis wore as well the formal clothes the guests wore in the in the living room. "I think I'm under dressed."

Amused, Mavis hooked her arm around Temperance's arm. "My dear, come with me." After they arrived in Mavis' bedroom, she showed the young woman a dress lying on the bed. "This is for you. It's a graduation present from me and Ray."

Shocked, Temperance stared in wonder at the dress and after Mavis insisted it was really hers, she put it on. With a few pins in her hair, Mavis stared in wonder at the beautiful woman standing before her. "You are going to make someone a lovely bride someday."

"Oh, I'm never getting married." If there was thing Temperance Brennan knew, love was too risky and she would never be hurt by anyone in her life ever again. Never.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Irritated, Booth rummaged through the closet, trying to find his tuxedo for the party next week. He needed to take it to the dry cleaners, but he couldn't find it. Pulling out a long bag, he opened it and found a long formal dress he'd never seen before. The deep plum color was attractive and he wondered why'd he'd never seen Brennan wear it.

Unaware that Booth was in the room, Brennan entered the bedroom and stopped. "Booth, what are you doing in my closet? You have your own closet you know."

Stepping back from the closet, he held up the opened garment bag. "Hey Bones, this is real pretty. How come I've never seen you wear it?"

Her eyes on the dress, Brennan cheeks became warm with a rosy color. "It's . . . it's an old dress Booth. I've only ever worn it once."

Not sure why she was reacting like that, Booth thought he'd embarrassed her and that was not what he'd intended. Quickly, he zipped the bag back up and placed it back in the closet. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to . . . yeah, I'm looking for my tux and I thought maybe you put in here and um . . . what's wrong?"

Memories flooding her, Brennan moved over to the bed and sat down. "Nothing is wrong. I haven't looked at the dress for a very long time . . . It was the first formal dress I ever owned."

Their personal relationship fairly new, Booth didn't want to cross lines that he shouldn't, but when he thought about it he wasn't really sure what the lines were with his girlfriend. Booth sat down next to her and placed his hand on her thigh. "Do you want to talk about it? It seems to have a sentimental meaning or you wouldn't have kept it."

Brennan didn't like to talk about her past, but this was one of the few happy memories she had and why not talk to Booth about it? If anyone would understand it would be him. "I told you that I didn't go to the Prom at my high school."

Carefully keeping a neutral face, Booth knew that sharing her past was hard for Brennan. "Yeah."

"Mr. Buxley and his sister had a party on Prom night and invited me." Those were sad times in her life and Mr. Buxley and his sister were the one bright spot she had in her life at that time. "Mavis bought me that dress and everyone at the party dressed formally. It was a wonderful party. Everyone was very kind to me and all of the male guests danced with me at least once and I actually had a very nice time. I . . . It was a graduation present."

His chest felt tight and this was one of those time where he wished he could confront those horrible class mates of hers and beat the shit out of them. "I'm glad you had a friend in school, Bones. I'm glad Mr. Buxley was so kind to you."

As she leaned against Booth, Brennan gripped his hand. "It was long time ago and I rarely think about it anymore, but yes . . . Mr. Buxley and his sister were very kind to me and they encouraged me to study hard. Mr. Buxley told me that he knew I would be important someday and he did everything he could to help me study . . . he was . . . he was a wonderful friend."

His arm around her, Booth pulled her against him. "Well, I'm your best friend now along with Angela and we're a family. The past is the past and we can't live there. You and me, we're the future . . . I love you Bones."

"I love you too, Booth."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for reviewing my story. I really appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

During his junior year in high school, Booth made a startling discovery about himself that made him worry about who he really was deep inside.

He'd been living with his grandfather for three years and he hadn't seen his father in all of that time. After his Pops had rescued him and his little brother, life had improved dramatically. Sometimes he felt like the first thirteen years of his life had been a nightmare and that with the wave of a magic wand he'd been transported to another land and another life. Life was really good for Seeley Joseph Booth and his life seemed to be on track. Nothing was in his way and he felt like king of the world sometimes.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Booth and a few of his team mates were standing on the landing on the main stair case in their high school, watching the girls come and go as he and his buddies laughed about their win the previous Friday and how they were the class heroes on that day.

Harlan Kinney, had just passed Booth when Tommy Major placed his foot out and tripped the lanky geek. Indignant at the laughter being rained down on him by the group of athletes crowding the landing, Harlan drew himself up, looked Tommy up and down and sniffed. "You're all a bunch of Philistines."

Outraged, Booth stepped forward and bumped his broad chest against Harlan's thin one. "Look, I'm not a Philistine, I'm Catholic."

Amused, Harlan couldn't prevent what happened next. He laughed.

Now Tommy Major did know what a Philistine was and he was more than outraged that someone like Harlan Kinney thought it was alright to insult him like that in public. Furious, he picked up Harlan and dangled the boy over the stairwell. Afraid of heights, Harlan began to cry and beg. "Please let me down . . . don't drop me . . . please, I'm sorry . . . Please oh please . . ."

Most of the kids that passed them by on the staircase seemed to find the situation funny and Booth had thought it was too until he noticed the look on Sarah Rogers' face as she stood on the steps below them and that look was one he'd never forget. The senior was disgusted with all of them and she was obviously debating with herself whether or not to intervene and perhaps be punished by the boys for it.

With Harlan's cries getting louder, Booth placed his hand on his friend's arm. "Tommy, let him go. Put him down before you drop him."

His laughter fading, Tommy pulled Harlan back to safety and let him go. While Harlan raced down the stairs to get away from Tommy and his friends, Sarah slowly shook her head and marched up the stairs away from her cruel classmates.

Tommy turned towards Booth and poked his friend in his chest. "You're getting soft Seeley. Harlan insulted you, he insulted all of us. He got what he deserved."

Embarrassed, Booth shook his head and spoke softly. "No one deserves to be scared out of their mind, Tommy. The guy thinks he's better than us, so what? He swallowed a thesaurus when he was a kid. It's not worth getting in trouble over."

His hand gripping Booth's shoulder very hard, Tommy glared at his younger friend. "I care. No one insults me and get to walk away from it."

Mrs. Chu, the music teacher down the hall, came striding up the staircase and stopped beside Tommy. "Mr. Major, I need you to come with me please. You other boys need to go to your next class . . . now."

Worried about Tommy, the boys protested as their leader followed the teacher down the staircase. After their group broke up, Booth moved up the stairs and down the hall to his Algebra Class. Stepping into the classroom, he was aware that several sets of eyes were pasted on him and probably not because of last Friday night's game. As he sat on his chair, he knew that what had happened in the hallway was wrong. His classmates considered him a bully and that didn't set well with him.

What Tommy had done to Harlan was no better than what his father had done to him for the first thirteen years of his life and to just stand there and laugh had been wrong and humiliating. He wanted to be better than his father, he wanted to be a man people could count on and that man was not there when he let Tommy hold Harlan over the stairwell and laughed with the other boys.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Booth and Brennan were in Philadelphia for the weekend. Brennan had purchased box seats at the game for Booth as a birthday present and they had decided to make a weekend of it. Their children were staying with Hodgins and Angela for the weekend and that meant that they were free to stay out as late as they wanted to.

After the game, Booth was on a high because his team had won. Still excited, he wanted to go dancing and Brennan had agreed that it might be a nice way to end their evening.

While they danced slowly on the dance floor, Booth held Brennan in his arms and drank in the smell of her perfume and way she held him tightly as they moved. The last few years had been a calmer period in their lives and they were both grateful for the change.

His eyes closed, Booth felt a hand on his shoulder and opened his eyes to find Harlan Kinney standing beside him. Even though it had been a lot of years, Harlan still looked like Harlan. He was better dressed, his hair was cut much shorter and it was peppered with gray, but there was no doubt in his mind that Booth was staring at his former classmate.

"It is you, isn't it Seeley?" Harlan frowned at Booth and clasped his hands in front of his waist.

As he released his hold upon Brennan, Booth grimly nodded at Harlan. "Yeah, it's me . . . You're Harlan Kinney aren't you?"

Pleased that Booth remembered him, Harlan grinned. "Hey it sure is. I didn't think you'd remember me since we didn't exactly hang out with the same crowd . . . football and basketball star and me a nerd and all."

Uncomfortable with his past with Harlan, Booth cleared his throat. "No . . . I remember you . . . um, look Harlan . . . about that time when Tommy Major held you over the stairwell . . . "

Before Booth could finish his apology, Harlan reached over and gripped Booth's lower arm. "Thank you . . . I've wanted to thank you for a long time, but . . . At first, I didn't really know it was you that saved my life and made Tommy let me go, but Sarah told me it was you and at the time I wasn't sure how to thank you and then I graduated . . . I was a senior when that happened if you'll remember . . . anyway I've almost written you a couple of times . . . I saw your name in the papers . . . FBI wow and still saving people . . . anyway listen to me gush like a teenage girl." Harlan laughed and released Booth's arm. "Anyway, you saved me from Tommy and I want you to know that I will never forget that. Thanks man."

Shocked at the turn of events, Booth held his hand out and shook Harlan's hand. "I'm sorry my friends and I weren't nicer to you Harlan."

"Kids got their cliques, Seeley." Harlan shook his head. "You were an athlete and I wasn't. I know the kids thought I was weird, but that was me . . . my poor mother trying to raise a son by herself and making sure I was okay . . . My Dad died my sophomore year and well . . . I lived in books and . . ." Amused at himself, Harlan shook his head. "I turned out okay." Pointing off to the left, Harlan beamed with pride. "That's my wife, you remember Sarah Rogers don't you . . . we worked at the same company for four years and we finally dated. We have three girls and a boy . . . anyway, thank you . . . Sarah wanted me to tell you thank you too and . . . and I'll leave you alone now. I just wanted to . . . Thanks."

Booth watched Harlan walk away trying to figure out what had happened.

Proud of Booth, Brennan placed her arms around him and encouraged him to continue dancing. "So that story you told me about your most embarrassing moment didn't quite happen the way you said it did."

His gaze now back on his wife, Booth slowly shook his head. "I told you exactly how it happened . . . I . . . I was like my Dad when I laughed at Harlan. He was so scared and I laughed . . . it made me sick for weeks thinking about it."

Brennan knew he was upset and confused and she was certain that he'd suppressed the best part of the story because of his fears. Leading him by the hand, they moved back to their table and sat down. "You were never like your father, Booth. You're the complete opposite. Even as a boy, you wanted to protect the helpless and you protected Harlan. He remembered it even if you didn't."

Grateful for her kindness, Booth placed his hand over her hand. "I think that was a turning point in my life. I was determined to never be like my father . . . I had to be better than that."

"And you are." Brennan leaned over and kissed him. "You are Booth."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	3. Chapter 3

(Double Trouble in the Panhandle)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I really appreciate it.

I don't own Bones

Oooooooooooooooo

"Thank you for seeing me Father." Booth sat in the pew facing the altar while Father Hebert sat facing the profile of his parishioner.

"Not a problem, Seeley." Seeley Booth was one of Father Hebert's more trying members of the church, but being a former Marine, he felt he had to be there for the man whenever he could. "You missed last Sunday's service."

Slowly nodding his head, Booth shifted in his seat, flicking his gaze towards the priest then back towards the altar. "Yeah, I was on an assignment in Texas."

Uncertain why Booth was in such a state of nervousness, Father Hebert cleared his throat and started to speak, when Booth blurted out.

"Father I am in trouble . . . big trouble and I don't know what to do about it." His hand seeking out his poker chip, Booth pulled it from his pants pocket and gripped it hard.

Aware of Booth's battle with his gambling addiction, the priest took a deep breath. "Seeley you haven't . . ."

"She trusts me too much." He'd raced right over the priest's words, but he was afraid and he needed the Father to listen to him "My partner . . . my friend, she trusts me so much she's reckless . . . too reckless and it scares me . . . I don't know what to do about it and she won't listen to me . . . what am I going to do?"

Confused, Father Hebert placed his hand on Booth's knee. "Maybe you could give me more information, Seeley."

His throat dry, Booth wished he had something to drink. "Yeah . . . okay, look my partner, she was on assignment with me undercover and we were in a circus . . . I did a knife throwing act and she was my assistant."

"Okay, I'm following you so far." The priest nodded his head and clasped his hands on his lap. "Keep going."

"Yeah . . . I threw knives at her." Booth nervously licked his lips. "I'm really good at that Father. It was part of Ranger training . . . you know."

Well aware of what Booth did in the Army, Father Hebert prodded him. "Yes, I know . . . you threw knives at Temperance . . . in the circus?"

His heart racing a little at the thought of what he'd done, Booth rubbed his forehead. "Yeah and she's fearless Father. She trusts me and she let me throw knives near her to break balloons and she . . . she didn't move or anything . . . but Father, she trusts me too much. She . . . God . . . she put a red nose on the end of her nose and she talked me into throwing a knife at it and . . . and I hit it, but Father she shouldn't have done that. One little mistake and I could have killed her. If she had moved just a little or if I'd thrown it wrong . . . just a little bit and I could have really hurt or worse killed her and she didn't care because she trusts me too damn much. When it comes to Alpha male stuff she thinks I'm the greatest and she thinks I . . . I can't make a mistake and hurt her and . . . I could have killed her Father. I could have killed her."

Father Hebert heard the fear in Booth's voice and he knew that this was not something to take lightly. "Why didn't you tell her no?"

His voice so quiet, the priest had to strain to hear his parishioner. "I don't know . . . she has so much faith in me and I didn't . . . I didn't want to disappoint her . . . I am so messed up Father. Bones . . . I have a hard time telling her no. No one has ever trusted me like she does. I always want to do my best when I'm around her . . . remember she's the reason why I gave up gambling in the first place. I need to be the best because she'll only work with the best."

"Ah, I see." And he did see. Father Hebert sighed. "I think we both know why you can't tell her no . . . have you ever said anything to her about it?"

Lowering his gaze, Booth now stared at his hand resting on the pew in front of him. "She's just my friend, Father. She doesn't believe in love. It's all chemicals and whatever to her. She likes me as a friend and I'm fine with that . . . I've never had a friend like her, ever. She trusts me which is no small thing for her. Her childhood was such a mess and . . . she likes me even though she knows about my past and the things I've done. She knows I'm a recovering gambler and . . . she thinks I'm strong, but really I'm not. She keeps me grounded and believe me I will never do anything to lose her friendship. I've never met anyone like her. She's so smart and independent . . . she sure doesn't need me, but she likes me and she . . . she's special you know?"

Father Hebert felt sorry for the man, but he knew that Booth was not a very trusting person and he didn't have a lot of friends. His childhood had been unfortunate and it had definitely left a mark on him. "I think the next time Temperance wants you to do something unnecessarily dangerous you should try to be firm and say no to her . . . You know what your limitations are and it would be wise not to let her force you beyond those limits."

"Well, Father . . . if I didn't let her push me like she does, I might not be where I am today." Booth felt like he was handling a double edged sword. "She makes me push myself to be a better agent . . . a better man, so where is the limit? What is my limitations because I'm not really sure anymore? . . . Working with Bones . . . knowing Bones . . . she just makes me a better man and I don't want to disappoint her . . . I don't know if I should say no to her."

Booth was one of his more worrisome parishioners and this conversation just proved it. "I don't know what to tell you, Seeley. You're upset that she made you throw a knife at a false nose and yet you could have told her no. You are a free agent. She's your friend and you don't want to disappoint her, but it looks like to me that someone needs to add a hint of caution in your relationship."

Shifting on the pew, Booth turned to look at the priest and smiled. "She's the most exciting person I've ever met. She's brave and so damn smart she makes me look pretty stupid sometimes and I love her . . . as a friend, I love her as a friend. I guess I understand why she wanted me to throw that knife at her like that. We were undercover and she wanted to be the best. That's who she is. She always wants to excel at everything she does and she wants me to also . . . She has a lot of faith in me and it makes me feel . . . I'm okay Father . . . really. I worked myself into a lather about nothing. She knew I could do it and well . . . I did do it, so . . . anyway. Thanks for talking to me." Booth stood up and started to walk down the pew to the aisle.

"Seeley." Father Hebert knew Booth would be back. He needed someone to use a sounding board and he was it. "Come to me anytime and . . . be a little more cautious. Just a little bit."

His laughter his answer, Booth made it to the aisle and walked back to the double doors leading out to the night cloaked sidewalk. Before he opened the door, Booth turned to look at his priest. "I'll try Father . . . see you Sunday."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	4. Chapter 4

(The Body in the Bounty)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I really appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

He was steeping a tea bag in a mug of hot water when his phone rang. As he fumbled for the phone, he wondered who was calling him at the ungodly hour of 6 a.m. "Yeah."

 _Dad . . . good you're home . . . why can't you get a cell phone like everyone else? I've been trying to reach you for the last two days._

As patiently as he could, Max once more tried to explain his paranoia about cell phones. "Russ, I've told you and told you, cell phones have GPS on them. If the telephone company knows where you are then so does the government and it's none of their damn business where I am and what I'm doing."

 _Look, do you know what's going on with Tempe and that lunkhead cop of hers . . . do you?_

His tea finally the right color, Max pulled the tea bag from the cup and tossed it in the trash. "I'm not a hermit, Russ. Of course I know what's going on."

 _Dad, he's got a girlfriend. That reporter chick from NBC news, Hannah Burley. I can't believe this shit . . . what are we going to do about this?_

The tea too hot to drink, Max pulled a small bowl from the kitchen cabinet and set it on the table with a box of cereal, a quart of milk and a spoon. "We aren't going to do anything about it. It's just temporary . . . at least I think it is."

 _What? Are you kidding me? You told me that when those two came back that they'd realize that they belonged together, but that's not what happened . . . he's got a damn girlfriend and it ain't our Tempe. I want to beat his ass and knock some damn sense into him, but he'd probably kill me. I mean for real too . . . If I knew how to use a gun I'd shoot his ass._

"Russ for God's sake!" Max was starting to lose his temper. "What Booth and Tempe do are not our business. They're . . . They're still running away from each other just in D.C. now. I don't know what caused all this running, but I do know that they have to work it out themselves."

 _Now how is he supposed to work it out if he's living with someone else? Come on. He's not even trying and Tempe is sad Dad. She's really sad. I told her to quit her job and move . . . that would serve the lunkhead right, but . . ."_

"Whoa!" Now Max was angry. "You did what? Are you crazy? If she moves away then she'll never get together with Booth and that needs to happen. Those two are perfect for each other."

 _Perfect? Perfect? Are you out of your mind, Dad? All they do is fuss at each other. I don't think they're right for each other at all. She could do a lot better than that cop . . . a hell of a lot better."_

Wisely, Max knew that wasn't true. "You know Russ, you should use your head for more than a place to rest a cap on. You know Tempe or at least you should. She is special. She's blunt and as honest as they come. She doesn't have a filter between her brain and her mouth. She never has. Most people can't stand that kind of honesty. They don't want someone to tell them the truth. Hell most people want everything sugar coated and you know Tempe can't and won't do that. She doesn't like lying she never has. How many people do you know will tolerate that kind of raw honesty? Not many and you know it. She never had many friends when she was a kid and I guess it got worse as she got older. Besides Angela and Hodgins and Booth . . . well I'm not sure she has any other friends than those three. Three Russ. If she moves away she won't have any . . . You stop telling Tempe she needs to quit her job and move. She needs those friends of hers."

 _But Dad one of those friends is living with someone. They aren't any closer to getting together than they were when they took off for the ends of the Earth. I don't care how much you want them to be together it ain't going to happen. Not now not ever._

"I hope you're wrong." Max stared glumly at his box of cereal. "Everyone needs someone and I think Booth is perfect for our Tempe. He loves her . . ."

 _Loves her . . . for God's sake he's living with someone . . ._

"Russ!" His tea cooling too fast, Max swallowed some of it and placed the cup back down. "Look, I've seen those together and I know that they love each other. They're just fighting the inevitable. Someday those two are going to get their heads out of their asses and then you'll see some action. We just have to be patient and stay out of it."

 _But Tempe is sad. I mean she is very sad. I could tell when I talked to a few days ago. All she talked about is Booth this and Booth that and she was sad._

Exhaling deeply, Max tried to be patient with his son. "Russ, I've been around a lot longer than you have and I know how to read people. I knew Booth was made for Tempe when I first met him. He loves her damn it and this thing he's doing with the reporter is just denial. I have no idea why Tempe and Booth can't just accept that they love each other, but they can't, at least not right now . . . I don't know. I'm sure this is my fault some how. We should have found a way to bring her with us when we ran, but . . . well I can't do anything about that now . . . You leave Booth alone, Russ. He could break you like a twig . . . We have to just be patient . . . sooner or later he's going to blow it with this new girlfriend of his and then he'll be forced to do the right thing."

 _I don't know why you think he's going to blow it. Hannah Burley is pretty cute and Tempe says she's very nice._

Max chuckled. "You don't think I haven't researched Booth? You don't think I made sure of our boy after I found out about him? He has a terrible record with women as far as I can find out. He's never stayed with anyone longer than a year. He's a former gambler, he was abused as a kid and he was a prisoner of war in Iraq. The man has been through the wringer and that is a hell of a lot of baggage to carry around for anyone. It would take someone special to put up with his crap and you can bet Hannah Burley isn't any better that those other women he's had affairs with . . . He needs Tempe, but he's fighting it. Once Hannah is out of the picture those two are going to get together. Mark my words . . . Now stop interfering with Tempe or I'm going to come down there and kick your ass."

 _Okay Dad . . . I hope you know what you're talking about . . . she's sad Dad._

"I know." Max hated that she was sad, but he thought it would work out in the end. "Our Tempe is strong and if she can't take it, she'll leave. As long as she's willing to put up with what's going on then leave her alone . . . She loves Booth, Russ. She loves their friendship. She needs that friendship. You know I'm right. If she didn't want his friendship she'd have already quit working with Booth . . . I want my baby girl to be happy and she's happy with Booth in her life. Those two are best friends as far as I can tell and she needs that. She needs someone Russ . . . You'll see. Our Tempe just has to wait and then she'll have that lunkhead. They're friends right now and right now that's going to have to do, but I really think she knows all she has to do is wait and she'll get her chance for more. Let's face it, if she knows anyone it's that partner of hers."

 _Okay, Dad . . . You know I don't really like Booth. He's a cop and . . . but I guess it doesn't matter if I don't like him. I just hope this works out. She's so sad and I really hate that._

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

A/N: this came to me while I was watching "The Verdict in the Story". Let me know what you think of it. Thank you.


	5. Chapter 5

(After the Change in the Game)

Guest wanted a sequel to chapter 4. I hope this is what you wanted.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Why did his phone always have to ring when he was watching the game? _Damn telemarketers._ "Yeah what?"

 _Dad, hey did you talk to Tempe lately . . . like today or yesterday?_

His eyes on the game, Max sighed. "Russ, I'm watching the Cincinnati Reds whipping some San Francisco ass. Can you call me back later?"

 _This is important Dad. Have you talked to Tempe in the last couple of days?_

Resigned that Russ wasn't going to hang up, Max sighed once more and muted his television. "I've done better than talk to her Russ. I've seen her. I helped her and Booth solve a case three days ago. If this is your way of breaking the news that they're in a relationship, then forget it. I figured it out all by myself. She called me and told me about it last night, but since I already knew it wasn't much of a surprise . . . I am surprised she told you though. I didn't think she'd tell anyone else yet. Those two think they have a big secret and they really don't."

 _She said they're only telling family right now . . . Why wouldn't she tell me? I'm her big brother._

"Humph, if you think that gives you an inside track into her life then I hate to break it to you." Max saw the Giants strike out and the Reds were coming up to bat. "Booth is the one she tells her secrets to. Not to you or me. At least not first anyway. We're way down on her list."

 _Yeah, well at least we're on the list . . . Well, I guess you were right about those two. They're a couple now. It's what you wanted so I hope it works out. Booth's track record with women doesn't give me a lot of hope that this is going to work out though._

"Damn it!" The pitcher had hit Brandon Phillips in the arm and Brandon was jogging over to first base.

 _Don't get mad at me Dad. I . . ._

"Russ, I'm swearing at the TV not you. I told you I'm watching the game." Tearing his gaze from the television screen, Max stood up and walked into the kitchen to get another beer. "Look, those two will work it out because they're best friends and those two value that friendship more than anything they own, well except for Booth's kid of course. Kids gotta come first in this world."

Pulling a beer from the fridge, Max glanced back at the TV and saw Phillips steal second base. "Russ . . . look . . . they have to live their own lives and you and I don't have a say in anything that happens between them. They've been friends for about six years now and it's a solid friendship. Your Mom and I had a relationship like that and it's a great way to start off a marriage believe me. When things get tough that friendship will help them out a lot and believe me things will get tough between those two."

 _What makes you say that? You know something I don't?_

Max opened a cabinet drawer and pulled out a bag of Doritos. "I know those two are very independent and they have very strong opinions, so they're going to have a few fights. It's inevitable, but their friendship will keep it from escalating. They like each other too much to let their relationship fall apart. Those two really belong together. Like you and Amy. It's all I ever wanted . . . that you two find someone that makes you happy like me and your Mom."

 _I asked her when she was going to get married and Tempe practically tore my head off. She doesn't believe in marriage, so I wouldn't hold my breath on them ever getting married. They're going to shack up I guess until they're old and gray._

Back in the living room, Max sat down. "If they do then they do. I hope they get married someday, but you know our Tempe thinks that it's a left over ritual from the old days. If Booth can live with it then we can too. You know no one can make Tempe do anything she doesn't want to."

 _Oh believe me I know . . . Dad . . . um . . . I guess I'm glad you told me to back off and leave Tempe alone about Booth and that reporter he was living with. You were right. He messed that up somehow and Tempe got him after all . . . I still don't like Booth, but I guess as long as Tempe is happy with him then that's all that matters._

The Reds scored two runs and now the Giants were coming up to bat. "You know Tempe is pregnant don't you? . . . Russ . . . you still there?"

 _Pregnant? She didn't say she was pregnant to me . . . she told you she was pregnant?_

"Nah, I figured it out a few days ago." Sipping some of his beer, Max opened his bag of Doritos. "They didn't tell me. I just figured it out and that helped me put two and two together. It was while I was working with them on the case . . . They were so busy pretending they were just work partners, but I could see something was wrong . . . or right . . . whatever. The way Booth kept looking at Tempe and she kept looking at him, ha . . . then it dawned me that Tempe has put on some weight lately. Not much mind you, but you know she keeps active and trim and well, I watched her and I realized that she's pregnant. Of course they aren't telling anyone yet and that's their prerogative, but I could tell and anyone with eyes will figure it out soon enough. They can't hide a pregnancy."

 _Pregnant . . . Our Tempe is pregnant . . . Wow!_

Max wanted Russ to end the call, so he could watch the game. "She'll be a good mother. She loves Booth's kid and they get a long really well. Remember I worked at the Jeffersonian for a while and when Parker was there you could see that she went out of the way to check on him and she even ate lunch with him a few times in her office. Parker is a great kid, so I'm glad that Tempe is going to have a baby with Booth . . . A grandbaby, it's more than I hoped for."

 _Hey, I have two kids you know._

"I know." Max realized that he'd hurt Russ's feelings. "And I love Emma and Hayley, so don't get your panties in a twist. It's just they're step-children and Tempe's baby will be blood of my blood. It's different and you know that. That doesn't mean that I'll love Emma and Hayely less though so don't get all upset . . . okay?"

 _Yeah . . . okay, I guess . . . I guess Booth's kid is your step-grandson too, so you'll have four grandchildren after Tempe has her baby._

A soft warm feeling moving through him, Max smiled. "Yeah, it's great isn't it? I never thought I'd have a family again after your Mom and I . . ." Max cleared his throat. "If we could have took you two with us, we would have Russ. You know we love you and wanted to protect you and Tempe. We never stopped loving you and your mother . . . she cried when we left and . . . well, we're a family again and our family is growing . . . You and Tempe are the best part of your mother and me."

 _Thanks Dad. I love you too._

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	6. Chapter 6

I wrote this after chatting with 5546Laura.

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Rummaging through his closet, Booth decided to be different for a change and wear one of his more colorful shirts. He'd stopped wearing them to work a long time ago and he wasn't sure why. Perhaps after his brain tumor or maybe before. That was a confusing time in his life and he still had blank spots in his memory. He knew that he'd changed after the surgery, but only because Brennan had told him he had. Well, that was water under the bridge.

The French blue shirt caught his eye and since he was determined to shake up his wardrobe for once, Booth pulled it from the back of his closet and removed the dry cleaning bag from around it. Slipping the shirt on, he glanced in the mirror and decided that the blue striped tie would go well with it. White shirts were fine, but let's face it, the blue shirt did make him look just a little bit sexier.

As he finished with his tie, Booth turned to move out of the bedroom and bumped into Brennan. He had been so absorbed with his tie that he hadn't noticed her standing near him. As he reached out to steady her, Booth apologized. "Geez Bones, I didn't see you standing there. I must be losing it if I didn't notice you there."

Her hand on his arm to steady herself, Brennan looked him down and up and smiled in appreciation. "You have a blue shirt on."

"Well Miss Obvious, I thought I'd be a little different today." As he moved closer to kiss her, Booth felt Brennan place her hand behind his head and her lips crash against his. His arm snaking around her to pull her closer against his body, Booth deepened the kiss.

"Mommy, I want cereal, but I can't reach the box." Christine was suddenly standing next to them and yanking the hem of Brennan's blouse.

Abruptly separating from Brennan, Booth coughed. "I'll get it for you, Honey." With a smile and a shrug of his shoulders, Booth moved around Brennan who turned and slowly followed her husband and child down the hallway. "I really love the shirt, Booth."

Christine now racing ahead of them, Booth paused and looked back at his wife. "Yeah, I know. I'm going to have to start wearing it more often for you." _And me!_

Oooooooooooooooooo

Later that morning, they were at a crime scene and Brennan noticed that one of the female FBI Techs that worked crime scenes with them occasionally kept staring at Booth more than was necessary. To her annoyance, the tech kept finding things to show Booth and that made it hard to concentrate on the pile of body parts resting in the grass before her. Finally her anger boiling over, Brennan stood up and stalked over to where the Tech was presently showing Booth a piece of evidence she'd found under a piece of cardboard.

"Excuse me, but Dr. Hodgins is in charge of particulates and trace evidence." Brennan's eyes flashing, she pointed at the entomologist who was busily scooping up something into a container. "Show the particulates to Dr. Hodgins not Agent Booth. You are wasting his valuable time."

Her cheeks a bright scarlet color, the Tech turned and hurriedly walked over to where Hodgins was squatting to show him what she'd found.

"Um, Bones . . . she's just doing her job."

Crystal blue eyes now boring into her husband, Brennan lifted her chin. "Her job does not require her to waste your time or mine."

Startled, Booth stared at his partner. "Okaaaay . . . got it." Not exactly sure why Brennan was angry, Booth turned his attention back to his notes. "Got cause of death yet or do I need to wait until you've taken the body . . . um, well the body bits back to the Lab?"

The surrounding area quiet while everyone close by shamelessly eavesdropped on the partner's conversation, the techs and squints waited to see what would happen next.

"I will need to examine the remains at the Lab." Brennan was now calm and professional. "The body is badly damaged and it will take time to determine cause of death."

The pile of body bits looked like chewed up dog food to Booth so he understood the delay. "Okay." His attention captured by a State Policeman waving to him from the road, Booth nodded his head. "Got to go Bones."

As he walked away, Brennan realized she might have embarrassed Booth and she hadn't meant to do that. She had reacted to the considerable attention that had been lavished on him by the tech and she let her emotions overwhelm her. _I was just being foolish. He is not interested in the Tech except in a professional way._

Squatting down next to one of the bigger piles of body parts, Brennan frowned at Cam's little smirk. "Booth needs to be able to do his job without unnecessary interruptions. I merely reminded the Tech that she needed to coordinate her search with Dr. Hodgins not Booth."

With great effort, Cam chose not to comment. She'd been mesmerized by Booth herself since he'd arrived on the scene and she was well aware that Booth looked absolutely delicious when he wore that French blue shirt. Forcing herself to look at the remains, Cam sighed. _It's going to be a long day._

Ooooooooooooooooo

That evening, after their children were safely in bed, Booth retired to the bedroom to get ready for his bath. As he was removing his shirt, Brennan entered the room and stood nearby. "The shirt is lovely Booth and one of my favorites, but since you are the head of Major Crimes I think your white shirts gives you more gravitas which is important."

Not unaware that he'd been the object of long looks from many of the women he'd come in contact with during the day, Booth schooled his face and threw his shirt on the bed. Settling on the mattress, he leaned over and removed his shoes. "I don't know, I don't think anyone gave me less respect today just because I was wearing a blue shirt."

Snatching the shirt from the bed, Brennan held it in her arms. "You may not have noticed, but you were the object of a lot of attention. You are quite impressive when you are wearing this shirt and of course that draws a lot of unprofessional looks from your co-workers and from suspects. It had to have been distracting for you since there was so much attention paid to you today . . . I mean more than normal since you are quite handsome even in a white shirt."

A smile now on his lips, Booth looked up and stared at his wife. The look on her face made him realize that the green eyed monster had been warring inside her all day. Slowly standing, Booth unzipped his pants and let them drop to the floor. "Well . . . gravitas is important." Stepping out of his pants, Booth moved over to where Brennan was standing. "Gravitas is very important."

Relieved that Booth was listening to her, Brennan dropped his shirt on the floor, moved her arms around his chest and leaned against him. "Yes, I wish you to get the respect you deserve at all times." Her eyes boring into his chocolate eyes, Brennan smiled. "Although if you would like to wear your blue shirt when we go out on dates I think that would be acceptable."

Amused, Booth pulled her firmly against his body. "Well, okay then. That's settled. I'll only wear the blue shirt for you and not my co-workers."

As their lips met, Brennan smiled.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Guest requested this story. (You really should log in and talk to me. I'd be happy to talk to you.) This takes place in the future so it is AU.

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

"Thank you for coming, Parker." She sat nervously in the booth and bit her lower lip as her older brother sat down across from her. "I know you're busy and . . . "

"Hey, Chrissy come on. You knew I'd come, so what's up." Parker noticed the dark smudges under her eyes and knew whatever was going on was leaving its mark on her.

Christine tried to smile, but failed miserably. "I've been accepted at Columbia University . . ."

"That's great! Congratulations." Parker was so proud of his sister and wanted her to know it. "I know you've been eager to get in and . . . what's wrong? Isn't that what you wanted?"

Miserable, Brennan nodded her head. "Yes more than anything. "

Confused, Parker placed his arms on the table, leaned forward and tried to get to the root of the problem. "Christine Angela Booth . . . what is wrong with you? You tell me you've been accepted at Columbia, but you look like you're going to cry and not with happy tears either. What is going on?"

"My degree is going to be in Clinical Psychology." Christine waited for his reaction.

Stunned, Parker sat back and stared at his sister. "Oh my God! Really?"

Slowly nodding her head, Christine sniffed, reached for a napkin from the dispenser and blew her nose. "Yes. You know Mom hates psychology. She doesn't consider it a profession at all. She thinks it's just guessing."

Parker was well aware of how much Brennan hated psychology." Wow . . . I guess you haven't told her or Dad yet."

Her shoulders bowed in sadness, Christine shook her head. "I want to be me, Parker. I want to be able to help people. I want to make a difference and you and I both know I'd make a terrible FBI Agent or a forensic anthropologist. I don't want to work with dead bodies and find out why they died. I want to help living people who are struggling to live. There are people that have gone through tragedies and they need help, good help and I think I could do that . . . do you understand?"

If there was one thing Parker adored about his sister it was her need to help people. She reminded him so much of his father who was also a very giving person. "I do understand Christine, I do, but . . . let's face it, you need to talk to Mom and Dad not me. They're the ones that need to be told and pretty soon."

"I know." Christine sat back on her seat and stared at the table top. "You know I'm really good at hockey and I've been offered an athletic scholarship for it. Dad assumed I'd take it and at least play college hockey . . . he dreams of me being in the Olympics . . . and Mom . . . she's been telling me for years that she'd be proud of whatever field I chose to go in, but that's the catch. I think she assumes I'm going to be a scientist of some kind. I don't want to be a squint. She's going to hate me."

Parker stood up, moved around the table and sat down next to his sister. Placing his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her closer. "Kid I think you're selling Bones and Dad short. They love you and they'll be happy with whatever you choose to do with your life."

A tear sliding down her cheek, Christine reached up and brushed it away with her finger. "Do you really think so? I've been so scared to tell them."

"I really do think they will be on your side." Parker motioned for the waitress to come over to their booth. "Hey we'd like two chocolate milk shakes, a burger each with bacon, throw some lettuce on it so we can say we ate something green and a basket of fries." Once the waitress was gone, Parker stood up and moved back around the table and sat back down. "Okay kid, I'll tell you what. After we eat this very healthy lunch, we'll go home and you can tell them. I'll stand right beside you while you do it . . . okay?"

Grimly, Christine nodded her head. "It's a good thing Grandpa Max left me some money. I may need to use it for my education . . . and be prepared to have to take me in Parker. I might be homeless by tonight."

Amused, Parker chuckled. "Quit being so melodramatic Chrissy . . . I think the parental units are not going to react that badly." _At least I hope not._

Ooooooooooooooooo

Booth was watering the garden in the back yard when Brennan opened the door and called to him. After he turned the water off, he moved over to the house, picked up an old towel lying on the table on the patio and scrubbed the sweat from his face and the back of his neck. "What's up, Bones."

Standing just inside the doorway, Brennan glanced over her shoulder and then back at Booth. "I'm not sure. Christine wants to talk to us and she has Parker with her."

A slight chill running down his back, Booth dropped the towel on the table. "Shit that doesn't sound good."

Surprised, Brennan stepped outside the doorway and closed the door. "Why do you say that?"

Leaning against the table, Booth smiled "Think about it Bones. Our kid wants to talk to us, but she brought backup. That means that whatever she wants to talk about is probably going to upset one or both of us. It's obvious."

Annoyed, Brennan shook her head. "It's not obvious to me. Is this a gut thing?"

Amused, Booth patted his stomach. "It absolutely is." Waving her to the door, Booth smiled. "Come on, let's see why our daughter is summoning us and let's try to remain calm no matter what happens."

"I'm always calm." Brennan felt that Booth was making a big deal out of an ant pile. "You are the one that has a temper."

A little outraged, Booth placed his hands on his hips. "Oh really?"

"Yes really." Certain that Booth was not as self-aware about some of his weakness, Brennan frowned. "Although you have calmed down a lot since you retired."

"Thanks for that."

Pleased that Booth accepted her compliment, Brennan smiled. "You're welcome."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Everyone assembled in the living room, Booth decided that if he was going to be given some bad news he wanted to hear it sitting down. Once he and Brennan were settled on the couch, Christine and Parker stood in front of the fireplace and presented a solid front.

After Parker nudged her shoulder with his shoulder Christine cleared her throat. "Mom . . . Dad . . . I have some really great news I want to share with you."

Excited, Brennan nodded her head. "Of course, Honey. What is it?"

Wary, Booth remained silent and waited.

"Well, I've been accepted to Columbia University. I'm even going to receive a partial scholarship."

Extremely happy, Brennan made a move to stand up and rush towards her daughter, but Booth certain there was more, grabbed her arm and kept her from rising. "Wait for it, Bones. There's more."

Puzzled, Brennan stared at her husband and then back at Christine. "Is there more?"

Slowly nodding her head, Christine inhaled deeply and slowly let it out. "Yes . . . I'm going for a masters in Clinical Psychology." Wincing, the young woman watched as her mother stared wide eyed at her.

A little disappointed, Booth decided that if that's what she wanted to be, then he'd support her. "Okay. That's good Honey. Whatever you want to be, we'll back you one hundred percent."

"Clinical psychologist?" Brennan couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're serious?"

Christine had expected this response and now her expectations were coming true. "Yes, of course. Mom I want to help people that aren't strong enough to help themselves. Like Uncle Sweets. Look how he helped you and Dad. I want to do what he did."

Slowly shaking her head, Brennan stood up. "Your Uncle Sweets didn't help us. We were forced to see him against our will early in our partnership. Then when we didn't need his services anymore your father wanted a profiler and Sweets agreed to do it so he could study us. We were test subjects to him."

"Bones." Not happy with Brennan's pronouncement, Booth stood up. "He did help us or at least he helped me. He was there for me when I needed it . . . when you and Christine were away from me. He helped me with that . . . and before he helped me before."

Turning to look at her husband, Brennan placed her hands on her hips. "Yes he was a good friend I will admit that, but whenever he tried to use psychology on you you complained and told him not to shrink you and you know that."

"It's complicated Bones." Booth felt like he losing an argument he needed to win. "Yeah, I didn't like him shrinking me, but I listened and he helped me through some things. Yeah he was a pain in the ass and he was always sticking his nose in my business, but he did help me. You know that."

Her voice rising, Brennan glared at Booth. "Yes he helped you so much that when you were shot by Pam and the FBI pretended that you were dead, he didn't tell me and I thought you really were dead. He was the one that kept us from growing closer sooner Booth. He was the one that made me fear that getting involved with you would only lead to a crushed heart."

Appalled, Booth shook his head. "Wait, what are you saying? He said that he didn't tell you because he knew you could compartmentalize and you said you could. You blamed me for not telling you . . . me, he was the one that didn't tell you. He was!"

"He was experimenting on me . . . on us, Booth." Furious, Brennan folded her arms against her chest. "He didn't tell me because he was experimenting. He wanted to see if I would break down and admit that I felt more than friendship for you because I thought you were dead. We were an experiment."

Stunned, Booth sat down. "He was my friend."

Close to tears, Brennan nodded her head. "Yes he was, but before he was your friend, before he was my friend, he used us as test subjects for the book he was writing. It was when he gave up on his book and took his job seriously as a profiler and not as our psychologist . . . that is when he became our friend."

Unnerved by what she was hearing, Christine stared at her parents and tried to make sense of what she was hearing. Aware that his sister was weeping, Parker placed his arm around her shoulders. "Christine . . . Honey, don't . . . just don't. Sweets was your uncle and he loved you. Any crazy ass stuff he did before you were born doesn't make him less your uncle."

Parker's words penetrating their conversation, Booth and Brennan turned to look at their daughter. Remorseful that their conversation had got out of hand, Booth stepped around the coffee table and over to where his daughter and son were standing. "Christine . . . your mother and I had a very complicated relationship when we were partners. Your Uncle Sweets . . . in his own way . . . tried to help us with our problems and for the most part he did . . . help I mean. So, I guess he did something questionable early on, but he made up for it later. When I was in prison, he helped you and your Mom a lot. He was here for you and you know that. He really loved you as if you were his niece. You know he didn't have any family. We were all he had in this world besides Daisy. He was really young when he started working at the FBI and he still had some maturing to do, but he did and he turned out to be a very good friend."

Stepping closer to her father, Christine placed her arms around him. "Dad, he was a very good clinical psychologist. He was. I've read that book he wrote about you and Mom, the one he gave up on. Daisy let me read it and it was very insightful. I thought it was brilliant even if he did think it was crap."

Brennan knew that her daughter was brilliant, independent and determined, which is what she'd always wanted her daughter to be. "Christine, I didn't mean to impugn your Uncle Sweets. I just never saw any value in psychology . . . still if that is what you wish to do with your life your father and I will support your decision. You have the right to find something that will make you happy and if being a . . . a psychologist will make you happy then of course you must pursue that goal."

Relieved that Brennan was bending, Parker sighed in relief. "Hey . . . uh . . . Christine we're all proud that you got into Columbia and we're really proud that you know what you want to do with your life. Really and wait until Hank hears about your good news. He'll be happy for you too."

With a snort, Christine released her arms from her father and turned to face her older brother. "Ha, he already knows and he's already decided to move into my room when I go to college because it's bigger. He's going to swap rooms and put my things in his room."

Chuckling Booth shook his head. "He always did want your room even though I've told him and told him that your room is the same size as his room is."

"Booth . . . no." Brennan shook her head. "Christine's room is bigger by 30.48 centimeters."

With a roll of his eyes, Booth turned to face his wife. "A foot, big deal."

Amused, Brennan smiled. "Booth do you really know the metric system? You always tell me to convert to feet when I'm talking to you. Have you been lying to me all this time?"

"Um, well." Booth decided to confess. "I do have a college education you know. I just like people to talk American to me that's all."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	8. Chapter 8

(After The Feet on the Beach)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I really do appreciate it.

I really don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

As she hurried into Brennan's office with her latest search update, Angela noticed Brennan talking on the phone. Since she knew Booth and Brennan were interrested in her information, she sat down on the couch and waited. It also allowed her the opportunity to eavesdrop on her friend which was always a plus in her book.

Brennan ignored her friend and continued to talk. "The play starts at 8, so I'll meet you there . . . Yes . . . I haven't seen Les Miserables yet, but I've heard it is quite good . . . I'll see you Saturday . . . bye James." Her call ended, Brennan placed her phone on the desk.

Surprised, Angela leaned forward and smiled. "James?"

"Did you want to talk to me about anything work related?" Brennan wasn't in the mood for Angela's meddling.

Not to be deterred, Angela stood up and walked over to the chair in front of Brennan's desk and sat down. "Yeah, I tried tracking Brodsky through his financials, but I think he's using cash again. He stopped using the credit card I linked to him . . . so who's James? You're going on a date?"

Brennan was reminded of Booth once telling her that Angela was like a dog with a bone when it came to gossip. Once it was in her possession, she wasn't going to let it go. "James Montgomery if you must know and we're going to go see Les Miserables together on Saturday."

Angela was torn and not sure what to make of Brennan's date. "I don't know . . . I thought since Booth dumped Hannah . . ."

"Angela." Annoyed with her friend, Brennan stood up. "What Booth does and doesn't do in his life has nothing to do with my life. Now I'm busy. I'll let Booth know that Brodsky is off the grid again."

Disappointed that Brennan didn't want to talk to her, Angela stood up. "Okay, I get it . . . I think I do anyway." Turning, she walked over to the doorway. "I know Booth is in a pissy mood right now, but sooner or later he's going to let that anger go and when he does I hope you're ready to step in."

"I don't know what that means." Brennan was tired of everyone trying to manipulate her. She was determined to handle her private life privately.

Pausing in the doorway, Angela glanced at her friend. "Yes you do, but okay . . . I was just trying to help."

After Angela left the room, Brennan sat back down and called Booth to let him know about Brodsky.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

After a rather boring morning, Brennan met with Booth for lunch at the Royal Diner. While they waited for their food to arrive, Brennan stirred her squeezed lemon in her iced tea. "I won't be able to go bowling with you this Saturday after all . . . I have a date."

His eyes watching the traffic slowly move by the large window, Booth nodded his head. "Okay."

Surprised with his reaction, Brennan placed her spoon down next to her glass. "Okay? That's it?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth turned to look at his partner. "You said you're going on a date. I said okay. What else is there to say about it?"

Confused, Brennan sat back against her chair and folded her arms against her breasts. "I thought . . ." Not willing to remind him about their conversation in the elevator and in his apartment during the blizzard, Brennan changed the direction of the conversation. "You usually want to know the name of the man I'm dating, where we're going, what we're going to do."

"I'm not that guy anymore Bones. I don't need to be." He saw she was confused and he wasn't sure how to explain it without causing a problem between them. He'd done way too much assuming for the last year and it had only brought him pain. Her pain had been just as bad and there was no way he was going to spoil their friendship. He wasn't going to risk that. "It's fine Bones. You said you're going on a date. Great, I hope you have fun." The look on her face a little strange, Booth wasn't sure what he was doing wrong. "Okay, what are you going to do?"

Booth's mild countenance rather surprising, Brennan nodded her head in acceptance. "I'm going to go see a musical."

Slowly nodding his head, Booth smiled. "I know you like those. I hope you enjoy yourself."

Worried about what was going on, Brennan nodded her head. "Thank you."

Pleased that he'd made it through the Brennan landmine field, Booth sipped his coffee and started to talk about Parker. A safe topic of conversation if ever there was one between them.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

In her office, Brennan glumly stared at a journal opened on the desk before her. The fact that she hadn't turned a page in the last fifteen minutes was not lost on her. Abruptly, Brennan stood up and walked out of her office and over to Angela's office. Relieved to see her friend, she at first smiled and then frowned. "Angela."

Startled, Angela smeared some of the paint on her brush onto the canvas sitting before her. Turning she saw the look on her friend's face and wondered who she was going to have to kill. "Bren what's going on?"

Moving into the room, Brennan stepped over to the couch and sat down. "I told Booth I was going on a date and he said okay . . . Just okay."

Not really sure what Brennan was upset about, Angela wiped her brush clean and placed it down on the table. "Honey, I . . . I don't think I understand. Was Booth angry or did he threaten you or . . ."

"Of course not Angela." The thought of Booth threatening her was laughable. "Booth would never to that . . . I told him I was going on a date. Normally that invokes a torrent of questions about who I'm seeing, where I met my date, what he does for a living and a myriad of other questions . . . this time he just said okay."

Understanding hit Angela and with it a frown settled on her features. "Yeah he usually is very protective of you even when he was dating Baghdad Barbie . . . I don't know Honey. Maybe he just wants you to be happy even if he isn't."

Anxiety growing within her, Brennan stared at the canvas that Angela was working on. "I thought Booth and I were . . . we talked a few weeks ago and we . . . I thought there was going to be a . . . "Standing, Brennan sighed. "It's alright, Angela. I have to go."

Standing, Angela held up her hand. "Honey, I . . ." Brennan breezed out of the room, leaving a very confused friend behind.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Striding into Booth's office, Brennan closed the door behind her. While she stood just inside the room, she glared at her partner. "Booth, I want to know why you just said okay after I told you I was going on a date."

Very surprised to see his partner in his office, Booth placed his pen down and leaned back on his chair. "What the hell, Bones. It means what it means . . . Okay, I heard you tell me you're going on a date and like the good friend that I am I hope you have fun . . . What?"

"Are we just friends, Booth?" Riddled with anxiety and confused, Brennan lowered her voice causing her partner to strain to hear what she said next. "I thought we were going to be more. Not now, but soon . . . we burned papers so that imaginary deities would read them and make our wishes come true . . . I don't . . . "

Totally confused, Booth stood up and leaned on his desk. "Bones . . . Yes, I hope that we will be more and soon, but in the meantime if you want to date then go ahead. I mean, you're allowed to have a life and who am I to tell you that you can't." The look on her face made Booth wonder why she was near tears. He was trying to be the friend she needed and deserved and he wasn't feeling threatened by her date so . . . oh. "Bones you dating someone right now doesn't bother me because I know it's not serious. It can't be because of our talk . . . you and me agreed that there's going to be an us someday, so what do I care if you want to go see a musical with someone? You and I both know I hate musicals and if you've found someone to go see one with then great. Get that out of your system, because I got to tell you, I am not going to go see singing and dancing plays when we are together. I'd end up shooting someone and . . ."

Moving across the room, Brennan stepped around the desk and placed her arms around her friend. "I thought you changed your mind and you didn't want to be anything other than a friend. You're normally very jealous if I pay attention to very handsome men."

"Whoa!" Booth placed his hands on her arms. "Very handsome? Just how handsome are we talking here?"

Laughter erupting from her, Brennan stepped back and looked into his disturbed face. "He isn't as handsome as you are, but he is quite attractive in his own way."

Staring intently at his partner, Booth shook his head. "What's this guy's name and what does he do for a living? Does he work at the Jeffersonian? He isn't someone you met online is he?" Agitated, Booth glared at Brennan. "What the hell, Bones. You promised to go bowling with me this Saturday and then you tell me you're going on a date to see a crummy musical and now you tell me the guy is handsome. What . . ."

The Booth she needed now standing before her, Brennan kissed him to make him stop talking. "Booth . . . never mind. If you don't want me to go on the date then I won't."

That kiss was the first kiss they had had in a long time and her lips were just as soft as the first time he'd tasted her. "Well, you did promise to go bowling with me and you don't normally break your promises to me, but if it's important to you then . . ."

Releasing her hand from his sides, Brennan moved the shoulder strap of her purse back on top of her shoulder. "No, that's okay. If we plan to be a couple in the future then I really probably shouldn't date other men now."

His hands pulling her back into his embrace, Booth stared into her blue eyes, "No you shouldn't . . . It might make me jealous and well . . . you know I carry a gun and I'd hate to have to scare off your Adonis."

"Not Adonis, Booth." Brennan was pleased to see Booth behaving in character. "Not at all . . . well, I have to go back to work . . . Do you want me to meet you at the bowling alley?"

As he watched her cross his office, Booth held up his right hand. "No, I'll pick you up. Maybe we can eat first."

Before she opened the door, Brennan turned back to look at her partner. "I'm glad we straightened that out."

"Me too, Bones."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

A/N: In Greek Mythology, Adonis was the god of beauty and desire.


	9. Chapter 9

(After The Brother in the Basement)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I really appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

His breathing even, Brennan watched her husband while he slept. It had been such a close thing and if he hadn't thought to use the silver nitrate to cauterize the wound he would have bled out before she had found him. The fact that Booth was smarter than he liked those around him to believe made everyone under estimate him, everyone except her. She had known he would find a way to save himself at least long enough to be found. She had counted on that and his survival had justified her faith in him.

Still, as she sat there watching him sleep, she was reminded of another time and another place in their history together.

The brain tumor, or more precisely the cerebellar pilocytic astrocytoma had changed everything in their lives and yet it had changed nothing. That had been a complicated time for everyone, but especially for Booth and it was all her doing.

Booth talked about his dream sometimes and she listened attentively as he talked about the club they owned, the flashy clothes they wore and how it still seemed so real to him, or at least the parts he still remembered. Everyone that has heard about the dream had commented about how intricate the dream had been and yet no one ever questioned why he had that particular dream. No one seemed to realize that that dream had been her doing. That was her secret and she wanted it to remain that way too. Not even Booth knew that his dream had been created by her.

She had sat next to him, in the hospital room and had written a story just for Booth. That story had been a source of comfort to her and as she wrote it she spoke the words out loud for her partner to hear. She had wanted to anchor him to this world and she had used her words to do it. The thought of him never waking up had almost been more than she could bear. She had hoped that her voice would lead him back to her.

She had never written a story like that before, but that was because this story was personal. She pictured a life with Booth as her husband and she had told that story. In that dream, they had been club owners and neither of them had anything to do with death and murder. They had been suspects in a murder investigation that's true, but the important part of that story was that they weren't the investigators. Booth and she were living a happy life filled with music and a life filled with love.

Their club was successful and Booth was loved by everyone. That was important. In real life, Booth had few friends and almost no family and Brennan wanted to create a world where her friend had those things and more. His employees were his friends and they were loyal to him. In that fictitious place, she loved him and was going to have a baby with him. Booth had a very happy life in her story because that is what she wanted him to have.

Brennan had also added things that made her happy too. She had envisioned a world where she was strong and not impervious. She was brave and not afraid to commit herself to her best friend. Surprisingly, she was able to see herself as married and happy in that role. Her yearning for a baby was added into the story. Instead of using his semen to create a baby she had, to use the words Angela had used, let Booth make a direct deposit.

That phrase amused her now, but when Angela had first mentioned it so long ago it had made her very uncomfortable. Not because she thought that having sex with Booth would be disastrous, far from it. She always assumed that they would be compatible and that was what had prevented her from having sex with her friend at the time. She couldn't commit herself to him and he would have taken her consent to have sex as commitment.

Now she just shook her head when she thought of that time in her life. She had everything now and she knew that her fears had kept her from seeing just how much Booth was meant to be in her life.

That story that she had written in the hospital, that deleted novel had been her attempt to give Booth what he needed at the time, a reason to live and to come back to her.

Now, once more sitting in another hospital room, watching her husband struggle to live, she didn't need the comfort of a fictitious world and neither did Booth. They were married and they had two children created by making love.

Their lives were twinned together and there was no way she could imagine that they could ever be separated. They had a happy life and they truly loved each other. Their friendship was stronger than ever and it was the glue that kept them together. No matter what hardships they suffered, their loyalty to each other kept them together and willing to do anything to make sure that their center held.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Groggy, his vision blurry and in a lot of pain, Booth opened his eyes and stared at the white ceiling above him. Curious, he stared at it for a few minutes and decided that he really did hate hospitals. "Bones?" His voice weak, he struggled to turn his head. Hands touched the sides of his face and he knew he wasn't alone. "I had the weirdest dream, Bones."

Grateful that he was awake, Brennan kissed him softly on the lips. "What kind of dream?"

His vision a little clearer, Booth stared into her beautiful crystal blue eyes. "I . . . I was back at the club . . . you know from my coma dream and . . . and it was nice, but I didn't want to stay, Bones. I wanted to leave because somehow I knew it was a dream and . . . I wanted you, the real you."

Sobbing, Brennan closed her eyes and placed her forehead against his forehead, her hands still on the sides of his face. "I was so worried, Booth . . . you lost so much blood and . . ." Her words trailing off, she opened her eyes and kissed him once more. "I knew you would find a way to survive until I found you."

Weary, Booth closed his eyes. "I had to come back to you, Bones. I promised I'd never leave you and I never will. I love you."

Tears sliding down her cheeks, Brennan watched his eyelids flutter close and his breathing even out. Asleep, he looked like he was in less pain. The lines on his forehead were gone and that made him look younger. She knew he would be fine and that time would take care of everything. This time he hadn't needed a story to bring him back to her. His love for her and the fact that she was waiting for him was all he needed to return.

Oooooooooooooooo

I hope you liked this one. Let me know what you thought of it. Thanks.


	10. Chapter 10

(The Santa in the Slush)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I really appreciate it. It's part of what keeps me writing.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

She hadn't planned on doing it, but really when Dr. Brennan had asked her for a favor, she felt compelled to get something out of it for herself. Caroline was tired of seeing her favorite FBI Agent give his partner cow eyes. _She's just my partner. Just my partner my ass, Cher'._

Somehow her puckish side just reared its mischievous head and she'd placed a condition on her help. Kiss Seeley Booth and not just on the cheek either. Oh no, someone needed to prove to those couillon that they were more than just partners and Caroline Julian was just the one to do it.

Of course she didn't trust those two, so she insisted that she be there to see this kiss under the mistletoe and boy did she get more than she'd bargained for.

Booth and his anthropologist partner were in Brennan's office talking about something and Caroline was about to have fun. She entered the room with a spring in her step, waiting for the fun to begin. She had the papers that Brennan needed to allow her criminal family to have a trailer for a small Christmas gathering at the prison and Caroline expected Dr. Brennan to keep her word. Spotting the mistletoe, Caroline felt a sense of satisfaction.

She beamed at the sight of the plant dangling from the ceiling and wanted to get the show on the road. "Mistletoe." The prosecutor pulled Booth under the festive plant and encouraged Brennan to do the same. "You take a step to your right you'll be right under that cute sprig."

As Booth and his partner kissed, Caroline realized that she'd got more than she'd hoped for. That kiss was so hot she almost melted from the heat. _Pooyie!_

After Brennan released her lip lock on her 'just partner' she'd turned towards Caroline and had asked the Federal Prosecutor if that had been enough steamboats.

Almost breathless and slightly stunned, Caroline had acknowledged that it had been more than enough. A whole flotilla enough. And yet just to prove what couillon those two really were, the anthropologist had had the nerve to tell her that kissing Booth had been like kissing her brother. _Pic kee toi! As if._

Caroline had shook her head in disbelief. How could she say that to her? "You sure must like your brother." And of course, Booth had to back his partner up because that's what he does. _The Bibitte._ "You're good to go, Cher', Merry Christmas."

Unable to keep this to herself, she'd hurried up to the top floor and breezed into Cullen's office. Flopping down on the couch in the office, Caroline sighed deeply. "Cher' you wouldn't believe what I've just seen. Why I'm not covered in scorch marks is beyond me."

Amused, Cullen stepped around his desk and over to the couch. Once he was settled there, he smiled at his favorite prosecutor. "Okay, you're dying to tell me so spill it."

"Well, Dr. Brennan asked me for a favor and I asked for one in return." Caroline waved her hand in front of her chin. "I told her that she had to get her partner to kiss her under some mistletoe."

"Caroline!" Cullen couldn't believe his friend had actually done that. "Tell me you didn't really do that. Those two . . ."

"Oh please!" Caroline wasn't buying the fake outrage. "You and I both know those two are crazy about each other . . . well, Booth is and I just couldn't stand by and do nothing."

Curiously, Cullen leaned back against his couch. "So they kissed . . . are you saying they did it and it was . . . what? . . . hot?"

What an understatement. "Hot doesn't begin to explain what I saw . . . I expected everything in the room to spontaneous combust . . . I haven't seen that kind of kissing since . . . well never mind . . . Cher' if they kiss like that and they're just partners then God help us all if and when those two ever get together because . . . just . . . damn it, why can't they admit that they're made for each other and just do it for God's sake . . . it's so damn frustrating."

Used to Booth and Brennan's state of denial, Cullen just shook his head. "I've told you before that those two are just going to go on and keep doing what they're doing. They're too scared to ruin that friendship they have going and I don't care how much you try to force them together nothing is going to happen until they're ready."

Sniffing, Caroline stared forlornly at her friend. "Which probably means never . . ."

"No, not never." Cullen was just as frustrated as his friend, but he had hope. "I think they will get together someday . . . they just need a catalyst and forcing them to kiss isn't it. It will have to be something big, but how big and what it will be is beyond me . . . don't tell anyone, but I have the paperwork allowing them to work together in a file in my cabinet. The folder is marked IFI."

Curious, Caroline laughed. "What does that mean?"

Amused with his own joke, Cullen chuckled. "It's fucking inevitable."

Caroline threw her head back and laughed until tears leaked from her eyes. "Cher' C'est sa Couillon."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

For those of you who don't speak Cajun French:

Couillon - This Cajun word means stupid, idiot or fool.

Pic kee toi - This is a Cajun swear phrase meaning "fuck you" (intercourse you).

bibitte - This is a Cajun French curse term for male genitalia (dick), in Canada this is not a cuss word and means roaches or insects

pooyie - awesome

C'est sa Couillon - Cajun phrase calling someone a fool "It is a fool".


	11. Chapter 11

(After The Change in the Game)

This story was suggested by 5546Laura. I hope you like it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Her long slim fingers would touch his tie so delicately and it would make him shiver. Booth wasn't sure why it affected him like that, but it did. She would stare into his eyes and the look on her face would be so serious and yet so intimate.

He knew she wasn't trying to make him react to her in anyway when she held or touched his tie because that wasn't who she was. Booth didn't think she even realized what she was doing to him. She was worldly and yet in some ways she could be innocent.

Brennan had had many boyfriends which Booth didn't like to think about, but those boyfriends had never treated her right as far as he was concerned. They had been only after one thing and love never entered the picture. Because of that missing element, she didn't realize what her touch could do to a man that loved her.

Over the years he had grown to love her as a friend, but in the back of his mind, he thought there was a chance that he loved her as more than a friend. Because she didn't believe in love and because he loved their friendship so much, he hadn't dared to cross a line that might destroy their relationship and yet . . . and yet when she touched his tie he felt a frisson course through him and he often had to fight with himself not to react physically to what her touch was doing to him.

Most times Booth had to fall back on mentally naming the saints in alphabetical order to help him not react to her touch. It was embarrassing and yet it was his burden to bear not hers. He couldn't tell her what she was doing to him, because he knew she might be afraid that he was trying to push her into a relationship that she didn't want.

Over the years, he'd steeled himself when she touched his ties and over the years he'd failed not to react in some manner. Luckily she seemed oblivious which saved him from embarrassment.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

They'd had a long day and they were both tired. Their personal relationship was three months old and what they had was now public. Their friends and colleagues knew about their relationship and they had accepted it for what it was, an inevitability.

As they entered Brennan's apartment, Booth removed his jacket and draped it on the arm of the couch. "Hey Bones, let's order something tonight. I think we're both too tired to cook and clean up afterward. Let's just take it easy tonight."

Grateful for the suggestion, Brennan placed her laptop and purse on the dining room table and turned to face her boyfriend. "That sounds like an excellent idea, Booth. You order what you want while I go change clothes.

Once the order was called in, Booth walked down the hallway towards Brennan's or maybe he should think of it as their bedroom. As he entered the room, he found Brennan in panties and bra removing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from her dresser. Leaning against the door frame, Booth smiled. "It'll be here in about 20 minutes."

As she pulled the t-shirt on, Brennan responded. "Excellent. What did you order?"

"Chinese . . . I have a coupon." Booth loved coupons and used them whenever he could even though Brennan thought it was unnecessary. "I have a buy one get one free."

After her shirt was on, Brennan pulled her hair from the collar. "Alright . . . are you going to change clothes?"

"Nah." Booth continued to lean against the door frame. "I'm too tired."

Concerned for him, Brennan walked over to where he was standing and placed her hand on his tie. "At least remove your tie." Slowly she pulled the tie so it was loser around his neck and once that was accomplished, she placed her hand on the back of his neck so he was leaning forward. That done, she removed his tie.

When her hands had first moved to his tie, Booth had froze. His eyes stared into her crystal blue eyes and he felt that inevitable shiver run through his body while she slowly removed his tie from around his neck. Once the tie was free, he captured her hands in his hands. "You have no idea what you do to me when you fool around with my tie . . . no idea at all."

Surprised, Brennan smiled and shook her head. "I don't know what that means."

Pulling her into his embrace, Booth nuzzled her neck. "I don't know how to explain it . . . when you touch my tie . . . it's like . . . it's like foreplay."

Intrigued, Brennan stretched her neck to allow him easier access. "Is this a recent occurrence?"

After a lingering kiss, Booth straightened up and stared at her puzzled expression. "No . . . no it's not."

"I've touched your ties several times over the years I've known you." Brennan placed her hands on the collar of his shirt and gripped the points. "Are you saying that you've always thought my touch on your tie was foreplay?"

His cheeks a dusty rose color, Booth nodded his head. "I couldn't help it. Even though we were just friends . . . I don't know . . . there's something sensual about how you touch my ties. Believe me, I've had a lot to confess to in church over the years and thinking about your beautiful fingers on my ties and what that does to me . . . well . . ."

"You think my fingers are beautiful?" Brennan glanced at her hands and back at Booth's smiling face.

Booth nodded his head and kissed her softly on the lips. "Everything about you is beautiful, Bones."

Her hands moving down his chest, Brennan stopped at his cocky belt buckle. "Thank you . . . I . . ."

A knock on the front door interrupted them. "Damn it." Booth glanced at his watch. "They were quicker than they said they would be."

Removing her hands from his belt buckle, Brennan stepped back. "We'll have to continue our conversation after dinner . . . I'd like to talk to you about your FBI t-shirts."

As he pulled away, Booth checked his pocket for his wallet and coupon. Pausing, he turned back to face his girlfriend. "My FBI t-shirts?"

Brennan smiled. "I love how you look in those . . . It makes me feel . . ."

Another knock on the door reminded them that dinner was waiting for them.

"Damn it!" Booth hurried down the hallway. "T-shirts Bones . . . we're going to talk about t-shirts as soon as we can."

Amused, Brennan walked over to the dresser and removed Booth's FBI t-shirt from the drawer. "Yes we will, Booth . . . we most definitely will."

Ooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. I appreciate it.


	12. Chapter 12

(After the Hole in the Heart)

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

As he left his office, Hodgins noticed Brennan standing just outside of her office talking to Angela. He had a side view of her and it made him pause. Studying Brennan's profile, the entomologist tried to figure out what was bothering him and as she shifted her feet, it hit him. _Oh my God, she's pregnant . . . isn't she?_

His first inclination was to rush down the hallway and confront her about it, but he'd no sooner took a step, when he stopped. _Wait a minute . . . you can't assume anything like that . . . she might not be pregnant, she may have just put on some weight and she will not appreciate it if I bring that to anyone's attention._

Wavering, Hodgins frowned at the sight of his friend and decided that he didn't have any proof of her pregnancy. He was not going to do anything to embarrass her or him . . . especially him.

Ooooooooooooooooo

She'd felt odd for days and when she missed her period, she suspected she knew why. To say that she was shocked was an understatement. She used birth control and she never missed her dose. She knew that it wasn't one hundred percent effective and she knew that Booth was very fertile, but it hadn't occurred to either one of them that they needed to use protection when they had sex. They had relied on her birth control and that had failed spectacularly.

She and Booth had been in a physical relationship for five weeks and they were still learning what that meant. Both knew their friendship was as strong as ever, but this monogamous thing that they were doing was new and they were both worried that if it failed they would lose the thing they valued the most, their friendship with each other.

The morning she missed her period she went to the pharmacy and she bought a pregnancy test. To her consternation, it had come back positive. Unwilling to rely upon a home test like that she made an appointment with her gynecologist and once she did a test in the doctor's office, her doctor had confirmed that Brennan was pregnant.

Unable to evade the issue, Brennan considered her options and in the end she knew that there was only one option. She would have her baby . . . their baby.

What gave her restless nights for the next week was the fact that she was uncertain how Booth would take the news. He was a father already and she really didn't know if he wanted another child or not. Certainly he had agreed to help her have a baby before he had been diagnosed with a brain tumor, but since then he hadn't mentioned it at all. Brennan hadn't used his sperm to have a baby because it wouldn't have been fair to Booth. He had changed after his surgery and she wasn't sure just how much.

She knew that she was going to have the baby, there was no question about that, but whether or not Booth would be involved would be up to him. She would not insist that he be part of the baby's life if he didn't want to be.

And yet, it was Booth and Booth loved his son. He loved children and he felt real horror when their cases involved children. He was also Catholic and strongly believed in his faith. She knew he would want her to have her . . . their baby. He would want her to be happy, but would he be happy. Over and over these thoughts floated through her mind and with it the idea that their friendship was about to be tested.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Hodgins worried about Brennan. She seemed quiet and subdued. As the week wore on, he tried to keep an eye on her, but Angela's pregnancy was nearing its end and he was more than a little distracted. He hadn't mentioned his suspicions to Angela or anyone else. The more he studied Brennan the more he was convinced that she was pregnant and her demeanor worried him. If she was pregnant then he was one hundred percent sure that she and Booth were finally in a relationship, but since they hadn't mentioned it yet, then they were keeping it a secret for some reason. He just wished he could talk about it to her openly.

Using Angela's pregnancy as an excuse to talk to his friend, Hodgins made sure his wife was busy elsewhere before confronting Brennan in her office. "Hey Dr. B . . . I was wondering if I could talk to you."

Grateful for the interruption of her dark thoughts, Brennan turned and waved Hodgins into the room. "Yes of course. How may I help you?"

Once he was settled on the chair across from her desk, Hodgins placed his hands on his lap. "I . . . you know this is the best time of my life . . . Angela is going to have our baby anytime now and I couldn't be more happy if I tried."

"Really?" Brennan wasn't so sure. His life seemed chaotic and once the baby arrived their lives would be even more chaotic. "Everything is changing for you. Nothing between you and Angela will be the same."

Slowly he nodded his head while keeping a pleasant smile on his face. "I know isn't it great? We're going to be parents and I'm just so excited."

Puzzled about his behavior, Brennan frowned. "But up until now you've been a couple. Once the baby is here your relationship with each other might change."

"Never!" Hodgins shook his head. "I love Angela to pieces, Dr. B and I have a lot of love to share . . . maybe someday when you have a baby you'll see what I mean. A baby is a lot of responsibility, but that baby represents our love too. We created that baby and we're going to love that baby no matter what happens. Our baby will love us and we're going to love him. It's nothing to be afraid of. It's a new experience and Angela and I are going to embrace it like everything else we've done in the past because we're together."

Hodgins noticed her shift in her seat and he knew she was afraid. "Hey . . . Okay, yeah things might change for us, but . . . look, you remember how I used to be . . . angry with the world . . . but I fell in love with Angela and that love changed me. I love how I've changed to . . . change can be a good thing . . . you fall in love with someone and that changes you and then you create a baby and there is more change and it's a wonderful change . . . you . . . I'm not alone anymore. I have a family . . . it's the best thing that ever happened to me."

She shifted forward and leaned on her desk. "Yes, you do seem happier than when I first met you."

Hopeful that he'd helped his friend, Hodgins stood up. "When you find someone to share your love with anything seems possible Dr. B . . . If you ever need someone to talk to about . . . anything, you know where to find me. I'm your friend now and always."

Her throat tight from emotion, Brennan cleared her throat. "Thank you."

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All she'd ever wanted was a family and now that Booth was in a relationship with her, she felt like she had the family she needed. A baby would enlarge their family and Brennan was prepared for it. She just hoped Booth was.

Once their case was over and after Angela had her baby, Brennan felt that she couldn't hide the truth from Booth any more. He had a right to know that he was going to be a father again. She hoped he would take the news well, but that really didn't matter. Facts were facts and they couldn't be denied.

"I'm pregnant . . . you're the father."

At first stunned, Booth was overwhelmed with emotion. The woman he loved was pregnant. They were having a baby. With a goofy smile on his face, Booth stepped closer to her, picked her up and twirled her around.

"Booth . . . Booth put me down."

Elated, Booth slowed and set her on her feet. "A baby . . . we're having a baby . . . I can't believe it . . . I . . ." Booth pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "We're a family Bones . . . we're a family."

Relieved, Brennan laughed. "Yes we are."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	13. Chapter 13

(The Pain in the Heart)

Thank you for reviewing my story. There are fewer readers now that Bones is winding down, so I value every review I get.

I'm on vacation right now and I will be in Pennsylvania starting Thursday at a family camp, so I hope I'll be able to keep posting my stories. It will depend upon whether or not I can access Verizon in the mountains. I'll be back next Wednesday. I hope everyone has a happy Labor Day.

Warning: tissue alert.

I don't own Bones.

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It had been three days and she was still stunned. How could that have happened? Why did it happen? He wasn't supposed to die like that. He was supposed to live. Booth had a son and a grandfather to live for.

Booth had promised her that he wouldn't betray her and leave her, but he broke his promise. He broke his promise.

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She used her spare key and entered his apartment. The silence was almost deafening as she closed the door behind her. Booth's apartment was rarely quiet. If he didn't have his television on, he had his stereo on instead. Her partner wasn't a fan of silence when he was alone.

Brennan walked down the hallway and scanned the living room. "Booth . . . Booth are you here?" She waited with a tiny morsel of hope until the silence became a pressure pressing against her ears. Quickly moving over to where his stereo was, she flipped a switch and the room was filled with sounds of retro-rock.

Relieved to have noise beating back the silence, Brennan swiftly walked into Booth's bedroom and found it to be neat as usual. Not sure why she was there, she moved around the room, touching the things that lay on the dresser and nightstand. As jumbled and cluttered as the living room was, Booth's bedroom was always neat and clean.

Standing in front of the dresser, she opened the top drawer and looked inside. The piles of socks and underwear were bright and festive. Solemnly she closed the drawer and opened the next drawer. Pleased she spotted neatly folded t-shirts and ran her fingers over the soft material. Curious, she separated them and quickly found his stack of FBI t-shirts on the right side of the drawer.

"I'm taking a few of your shirts, Booth." Since he wasn't there to stop her, she pulled out two FBI t-shirts and three of her favorite concert t-shirts. After she placed them in a stack on the bed, she looked through the rest of the drawers and found his khaki jacket. "I'm taking your jacket too, Booth. I don't know why you don't wear it anymore. I thought it looked nice on you, but then again you look good in most things you wear."

Once she was done with his dresser, she moved over to the nightstand and looked in the drawers. He had an interesting collection of comic books in one them and she removed the one on top. "I know you read novels since you have a stack of them in the living room, but I never imagined that you would read comic books. I thought those were just for children. I guess not . . . you're a very complicated person Booth. Warrior, Agent, father . . . friend . . ."

After she placed it on the pile of shirts and jacket, she picked up her loot and looked around the room. "If you want these thing back then you must come and get them Booth. They will be at my apartment." The only noise coming from the stereo in the living room, Brennan felt tears slide down her cheeks. "You broke your promise to me, Booth. I thought I could count on you. I thought you were my friend."

Unable to remain, she walked into the living room, turned off the stereo and left the apartment. Her arms filled with her treasures, Brennan was determined to move on. Booth was dead and he was no longer her partner. She had work to do.

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The Army had sent her a body that had been found in South Korea. It was possible that the skeleton was the remains of a serviceman killed during the Conflict between North and South Korea. Alone in the examination room, the door firmly closed and locked, Brennan laid out the skeleton on the stainless steel table and started her examination. "You might find this very interesting Booth. This may be the remains of a serviceman killed during the Korean War. I know some historians call it a conflict, but that's ridiculous, it was a war."

Once the bones were laid out, she picked up the skull and started to examine it. As she did that she made notations in a notebook of the facial markers Angela would need to attempt a facial reconstruction. "The markers indicate an African American male . . . or perhaps I should say of a male of African descent. It remains to be seen if he is American. Ethiopia had troops as part of the UN forces that served there during the war. There were fibers surrounding the skeleton in the grave which I will assume was what was left of his uniform. Dr. Hodgins has those and he is trying to determine their origin right now."

Studying the skeleton more closely, Brennan smiled. "He doesn't appear to be Ethiopian . . . No, most definitely not." After she made notes about all of the markers she wanted Angela to use, Brennan placed the skull down on the table. "He must have died away from his unit. If he had died with them, his body would have been brought back and he would have been buried in the United States. Perhaps he became separated from his unit or he was a prisoner of war when he died. He was given a simple grave. There was no marker to point to him being buried where he was found. His skeleton was found by a farmer who was expanding his fields. The field this soldier was buried in hadn't been used for many years."

Not sure why she was talking to Booth when he was dead, Brennan sighed. "I don't believe in an afterlife, but I remember you telling me that this was a way to connect with our deceased loved ones, that it's a way to remember them . . . yes I said it. I loved you Booth. You were a dear friend and I loved you for that . . . you were my best friend and now all I have left is Angela. Yes, I know Max and Russ are back in my life, but . . . I still don't trust them. I don't think I ever will. I only have . . . had three people in this world I could count on and now there are just two, Angela and Hodgins . . . you weren't supposed to die, Booth. Not yet."

Her eyes watering, Brennan sniffed. "This is silly . . . you're dead. You can't hear me . . . You had no right to step in front of that bullet. No right at all. I didn't ask you to do that. I am so angry with you. You always have to protect me when I can protect myself . . . if you were standing right here I would tell you to your face what a selfish thing you did . . . yes selfish. You did that because you . . . because you always think you have to protect me . . . because you have to do things your way. Well, I didn't want you to do that . . . Do you hear me, Booth?"

Furious, Brennan dashed the tears from her cheeks. "I'm going to stop talking to you . . . If you want me to talk to you then come back and talk to me in person . . . That was a stupid thing to say . . . I don't know why I'm so emotional."

Tears pouring down her cheeks, Brennan walked over to the door and sat on the floor in front of it. Drawing her knees up, she placed her arms around them and gave herself permission to cry. Sobs racking her body, Brennan knew that she would never have a friend like Booth again. He allowed her to be who she was and she would miss that the most about him. "You broke your promise, Booth . . . you promised not to leave me. Why did you do that? Why?"

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	14. Chapter 14

This is a sequel to chapter 13.

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I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

He needed to keep some of his clothes at her apartment if he was going to be staying with her. He'd always kept a bag in the guest bedroom with a toiletry bag and a set of casual clothes, but now that they were in a relationship and he was sleeping over in her apartment, he needed to keep clothes there so he wouldn't have to run back to his apartment before he went to work.

The bag he carried into the apartment contained some jeans, t-shirts, underwear, a few dress shirts, socks, a couple of pair of shoes, two pairs of sweats and two suits.

"Booth, you can place your clothes in the guest bedroom." Brennan wanted to make sure he had enough room for his clothes. "The closet is mostly empty and the dresser is too . . . you can bring some of your sports clothes and equipment and keep them there too if you need to."

Carrying the bag into the room, Booth hung his two suits in the closet and turned to face the dresser. Opening the top drawer, he placed his underwear, sock and t-shirts in neat piles inside. Next he opened the middle drawer and much to his surprise, he found two FBI t-shirts, three concert t-shirts and what looked like his old khaki jacket. Surprised, he checked each of the concert t-shirts and found them to be the ones he'd found missing a few years ago from his dresser in his apartment.

Not sure how and why they were now in Brennan's apartment, Booth pulled the t-shirts out of the drawer, sat on the bed and stared at them in his hand.

"I forgot I had those." Brennan stood in the doorway and nervously bit her lower lip. "I can explain."

Curious, Booth looked up and frowned. "I discovered these were missing after I was allowed to go back to my apartment . . . you know . . . when the Director kept me hidden for two weeks to catch that terrorist . . . at my funeral . . ."

"I remember, Booth." Embarrassed, Brennan stayed where she was. She wasn't sure if Booth was angry and this conversation was about to get complicated. "I . . . when I was told you had died, I took that very hard . . ."

"Bones . . ."

"No Booth . . . just let me explain." Stepping into the room, Brennan walked over to the chair next to the closet and sat down. "I was told that you had died and at first I refused to believe it. No one would let me see your body and when I tried to find you in the hospital, I was escorted out of the building . . . I was called hysterical . . . I wasn't of course, but that was the excuse they used to keep me from looking for you."

She remembered how determined she was and with hindsight being 20/20 she knew that the FBI had been desperate to keep their undercover operation on track. "That night I went to your apartment . . . I used my spare key, the one you gave me to use in an emergency . . . it seemed like an emergency to me . . . I didn't believe the FBI . . . I thought you were alive and I wanted to see you . . . you weren't there." She felt a tear slide down her cheek and did nothing to stop it.

Clearly she was upset and Booth wanted to stop the conversation. "Bones . . . you don't have to explain . . ."

"But I do." Brennan was determined to make him see what she went through, that she hadn't been unfeeling or cold about the situation. "I went into your bedroom and I took those t-shirts and the jacket and one comic book . . . I wanted you to come to my apartment and accuse me of theft and demand your things back . . . you didn't come and I knew you were dead." Tears still fell and Brennan wasn't sure why. This was old history. "You didn't come and I mourned for you in my way . . . I thought you had left me even though you had promised me that you never would and I felt betrayed . . ."

"Bones!" Booth couldn't take it anymore. He placed the t-shirts down on the mattress, stood up and walked over to where she was sitting. Taking her hands in his, he pulled her to her feet and placed his arms around her. "Bones . . . I should have called you. I know that now. I should never have let a bureaucracy do my job. I was out of it for a few days, but when I woke up at that cabin, well I should have called you and checked up on you . . . I'm so sorry . . . I'm so sorry."

The pain was old and would probably never leave her, but she knew it was unfair to blame Booth for something that Sweets had done. The psychologist had experimented on her and he had tried to force her to admit to feelings about her partner. Those feelings were hers and not to be shared with anyone at the time. She had blamed Booth for not calling her, but now she knew he was part of the experiment and a victim as well. "Don't apologize for something you didn't have any control over . . . I know you Booth. You were ordered to keep undercover and silent and you did it . . . you were unable to do anything different, I know that now."

Still he regretted that he'd let the FBI treat her that badly. "I made you a promise afterward and I meant it. The next time I die, I'll call you and let you know."

The absurdity of his statement made her laugh. "Booth . . . that's ridiculous . . . but thank you."

Glad to see the tears stop and a smile on her face, Booth brushed her hair back from her cheek and he kissed her. "If I can call you I will . . . how about that?"

Brennan shook her head and smiled. "I won't hold you to that promise . . . but from now on, if you have to pretend to be dead, I must insist that I be told about it."

"Of course." Booth had already made damn sure she was never treated like that again. "I made Pops promise to call you if I'm ever squirreled away like that again . . . oh . . . and Rebecca said she'd tell you too. She was pretty upset when she found out you weren't told. She blamed me too by the way."

Brennan stepped away from Booth and walked over to the bed. After she picked up the t-shirts she hugged them and turned to face Booth. "I wore each of these at least once while I thought you were dead . . . it helped me to accept that you were gone. They gave me comfort."

She looked so sad standing there holding his old shirts and he wanted to lighten the mood. "You know when I found out those were missing, I accused my landlord of stealing them. He threatened to evict me from my apartment, but I had a lease . . . when my lease was up he thought about making me move, but it's hard to find someone to lease an apartment above a liquor store and he knew I knew it . . . he did raise my rent fifty bucks a month that son-of-a-bitch."

"I'm sorry." Now that she realized that her theft had cost him real money, Brennan was embarrassed again. "I should have given them back to you when I found out you were alive, but then I would have had to admit that I had stolen them."

Not really concerned, Booth shook his head, "Don't worry about it. It's done." Booth moved over to where she was standing and removed the t-shirts from here hand. "So . . . do you like my shirts?"

"Yes, I do." Brennan took the shirts from his hand. "I always have."

Booth smiled and walked over to the dresser. "So I can count on you taking my shirts when you want one?"

Moving over to the dresser, Brennan placed the t-shirts back in the drawer. "That won't be necessary, at least for now. As you can see I already own 5 of your t-shirts and one jacket . . . I'm not sure where the comic book is . . . Oh, it's in my bookcase . . . if I ever wear these out then be prepared to lose more."

Booth laughed. "Good to know."

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	15. Chapter 15

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I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

At first they were cautious about their relationship. Both of them were terrified that they were going to do something wrong which would not only destroy their new found intimate relationship, but their friendship as well. They were careful not to criticize the other, but all that did was make them tense and those around them felt that tension.

"What's going on, Honey?" Angela wasn't sure what was going on, but she didn't like it. "Is there something wrong between you and Booth? I mean you guys are just . . . I don't know . . . too polite."

Brennan knew what her friend was talking about and she wasn't sure what she or Booth could do about it. "What's wrong with being polite?"

Angela sighed and slumped down on Brennan's couch. "Bren, I've been back from maternity leave for four days and I haven't heard you or Booth argue once. You both . . . you're just too polite and it's kind of creeping me out and everyone else too . . . that isn't how you two work . . . ever."

A little lost about how to answer, Brennan stood up and moved over to the couch. Once she was settled next to Angela, Brennan glanced at the door to make sure they were alone. "What if I do something wrong and Booth decides that he doesn't want to be in a relationship with me? I don't want to damage our friendship, but . . ."

Angela placed her hand on Brennan's knee. "Honey both of you are afraid and I understand that, but you two need to be who you are. That's why your friendship works. Both of you are not acting like you normally do and believe me that could end up damaging your friendship . . . you have to stop acting weird. Just be yourself and let Booth be himself. You two are great friends and this new relationship thing you're doing now is just another layer added to that friendship. You don't have to be afraid to be yourself. Booth isn't going to leave you just because you argue. In fact, I think he might even consider it a kind of foreplay."

"Foreplay?" Brennan found that hard to believe. "I don't think so. When we argue we are hardly in a mood to have sex, at least I'm not."

Desperately trying to keep from rolling her eyes, Angela stared at her hand on Brennan's knee. "Honey . . . before you two allowed yourselves to have sex with each other you used bickering as a way to relieve the sexual tension between you two. That's all I'm saying. This not bickering thing you two are doing . . . it's not healthy. You both have strong opinions about things and if you're too afraid to voice them, well it's going to destroy your friendship, because no one wants to walk around someone like they're walking on eggs." She knew Brennan was confused. "You can't guard your speech all the time . . . it just can't be done . . . be yourself. That's all I'm saying."

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Their day had been long and it didn't help that Booth had to get into a jurisdictional squabble with the Virginia State police which had delayed Brennan's access to a crime scene for over two hours. Both of them were exhausted, so Booth decided that they should use Brennan's apartment for the night. Her apartment was closer and he was just too tired to drive the few extra miles to his apartment.

On the way to her apartment, Booth stopped at a Chinese restaurant he loved and picked up a couple of buffet dinners and handed the containers to Brennan as he got into the SUV. "They didn't have vegetable Mai Fun, so I got you vegetable Lo Mein."

Irritated, Brennan opened her mouth and then closed it. "Fine." Pausing, Brennan decided that it wasn't. "No it isn't fine. I wanted Mai Fun. We can stop at Panda Diner and get some from them."

"What?" Booth couldn't believe she was being that particular about something to eat. "Come on. They're both noodles who cares about . . ." Stopping himself, Booth nodded his head. "Sure, we can do that."

"Don't do that, Booth." Brennan thought about what Angela had told her and she was worried that her friend was correct. "If you don't like what I said then tell me. Don't stop because you don't want to argue . . . You are putting stress on yourself and me when you do that."

Puzzled, Booth turned to look squarely at his girlfriend. "You've been talking to Angela . . . That sounds like her not you."

Determined to fix their problem, Brennan shifted in her seat so she could face her boyfriend. "Booth we haven't argued about anything since we started sleeping together. I think we've been avoiding confrontations because we're afraid to . . . Do you think arguing will cause us to break up our relationship?"

"No, of course not." Booth really didn't like this conversation. He was happy and he wanted to stay that way. "I just . . . we argue a lot and . . . um . . . isn't it nice not to argue?"

Brennan shook her head. "Not really . . . not when it doesn't seem right . . . we both have very strong opinions and we've never felt the need to suppress our points of view before. It's part of who we are. You say something and if I don't agree I tell you. You do the same. We can tell each other anything or at least we could before we started having sex . . ."

"Love . . . we make love." Booth was tired and he wanted to go home. "Bones . . . fine maybe you have a point. We have been off our game a little . . . from now on, let's just try to be honest with each other. I'm not saying I want to argue about stuff, but if we disagree we should just say so." He inserted his key in the ignition and started the truck. "So you don't want the Lo Mein?"

Brennan pulled the container out of the bag and looked at the contents. "To tell you the truth it looks delicious. You don't have to drive to Panda Diner."

"Well okay then." As he pulled out of the parking spot, Booth noticed Brennan staring at him. "What?"

"Angela says when we bicker it's really foreplay." Brennan laughed. "That's ludicrous."

His forehead crinkled, Booth shook his head. "Shit, everything is foreplay to Angela. Believe me arguing is not foreplay." Booth reached out and placed his hand on her side. Moving his hand slowly under her shirt, he moved his hand up towards her breasts. "Now this is foreplay."

Brennan laughed and grabbed his arm. "You're going to make me spill our dinner on the floor."

Quickly removing his hand from under her blouse, Booth pulled out in to traffic. "God don't do that. I'm starving."

Amused, Brennan gave him a fond smile. "You're always hungry."

"Not always." Booth protested. "Hey . . . once we eat I'll show you some real honest to God foreplay."

Brennan chuckled. "Maybe I'll show you what foreplay is." Holding the bag of food on her lap, Brennan felt relieved that they had talked. She felt less tense and more confident that their relationship was strong enough for anything that might threaten it. Even bickering.

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	16. Chapter 16

(The Stiff in the Cliff)

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Ooooooooooooooooooo

All he'd ever wanted to be was an anthropologist. He'd worked hard in his studies, so that he could he get scholarships to the right schools. His parents were willing to pay for his education, but Clark had wanted to keep that burden from them. He loved his family and he didn't want to be a financial burden if he could help it.

His childhood had been a happy one and his family was a loving one. His beloved grandfather had lived with them until he'd died and Clark had inherited his love of science from him. Clark loved how the old man's mind worked. His grandfather had been fascinated with how things worked whether or not it was mechanical or biological and his enthusiasm for learning had been transferred to his grandson at an early age.

Clark had felt blessed to be supported and encouraged to learn and after he'd entered college his career seemed to be heading in the right direction. He'd applied for and was invited to join Henry Charles' expedition in Alaska. It had been a dream come true and he was the envy of his classmates. Only five people were scheduled to be in that expedition and his role would be that of an intern for Marcus Eldridge who was also in the expedition. Clark considered it a real coup.

At first he had loved his role in the expedition and he had become close to Hazel Mitchell during that time. So close that he'd failed to log the fact that she had chipped the C4 vertebra of Captain Frank's skeleton when she'd exhumed his body from the ice. She had been mortified by her mistake and because he loved her he'd compromised the data to help her out. He'd allowed himself to become emotionally involved with someone he'd worked with and compromised his work ethic. He regretted that mistake long afterward and vowed to be more professional for the rest of his career.

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When Dr. Clark Edison first came to work at the Jeffersonian, he'd been serious to the point of being humorless. He abhorred gossip and refused to become involved in anyone's personal life. That was his right of course, but Hodgins had always been puzzled as to why. Brennan had found it refreshing since she too hated gossip, especially gossip about her and or Booth. After Zach had been institutionalized, Clark had been hired by the Jeffersonian to work part time while he continued his education and though he was a very serious young man, he was talented and a welcome addition to the Lab.

The fact that the personal relationships around him made him uncomfortable made him quit more than once, but in the end he would always come back. The Jeffersonian was the pinnacle, the Mount Everest of the scientific community and working there was a coup and added prestige to anyone's resume who landed a job there.

Clark had vowed to remain unchanged and to not let the casual relationships between his co-workers alter him in anyway and yet slowly the emotional side of him evolved and in the end he felt a better man for it.

He had strived to be like his mentor, Dr. Brennan. Her ability to separate herself from the horrors of their cases was admirable and the professional wall she kept between herself and her interns seemed to be noteworthy. After Clark had worked at the Jeffersonian for a few years, he realized that Brennan's walls were shrinking and though she was the epitome of restraint when working on cases, she did allow friendships between herself and her fellow employees and much to his surprise that included him.

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Wendell found Clark in the break room. "Man did you read the expose Dr. Brennan did about Dr. Eldridge in The Forensic Anthropology Times? She really had a lot of nice things to say about you and a lot of terrible things to say about Dr. Eldridge."

"Yeah, I saw it." Clark wiped his lips with his napkin. "You're like the eighth person to tell me about it. Everyone acts so surprised that she'd do that . . . you know she really is a great anthropologist and no way she'd let Dr. Eldridge get away with the crap he's been pulling."

The intern sat down and opened his canvas bag, pulling out a peanut butter sandwich, a bag of chips and an apple. "I agree. She hates dishonesty . . . I thought it was terrific how she pointed out that you weren't the only scientist taken in by Eldridge. She's just terrific."

"She's a great friend." Clark was still surprised Brennan had rescued his career like that and yet he should have known she would set the record straight. She was just that kind of person.

Slowly nodding his head, Wendell took his sandwich out of the baggy. "Yeah . . . I know. Look what she did for me when I got Ewing's sarcoma. I mean she got me into that trial run and . . ." Wendell still got a little chocked up thinking about how her intervention had saved his life. "She's just the best and Booth . . . he's been so supportive . . . I just owe them both so much . . . literally my life."

Clark knew that Wendell's disease was in remission and Dr. Brennan was a big part of why the intern was still alive. "Yeah . . . When I first starting working here, I thought she was kind of cold and clinical which was fine. She was the best in her field and I didn't hire on here to be her friend. I wanted to learn from the best, but once you get to know her . . . really know her, you find out it's just a big shield she uses to protect herself. I really do admire her . . . the things that have happened to her and yet she just keeps moving on . . . I'm glad to be here. Everyone here is just like family to me."

"Yeah." Wendell agreed with Clark. "We are kind of like a family."

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	17. Chapter 17

(After "The Party in the Pants")

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Ooooooooooooooooooo

What were the odds? I mean really what were the odds that he would be able to find something like that on the internet? It just boggled his mind. What really threw him was the fact that this video hadn't been seen by millions of viewers, but instead had only been viewed by a few hundred.

When Brennan had told him that she had done a gig while in school as a fan dancer he'd been too afraid to talk to her about it. That week had been bad starting with the appearance of his mother and the week had got progressively worse. The thought of his partner, the mother of his daughter actually stripping for strangers was more than he could handle at the time.

Later he had time to think about it and this was the result of his curiosity. There she was standing on the stage for all the world to see. Granted you couldn't really see her face clearly, but he didn't need to. He'd stared at that beautiful face for years and he knew it was her. She was probably twenty-one in the video, so already a beautiful woman and the hints of her voluptuous curves as the fans swayed around her clinched it for him.

Glimpses of skin quickly hidden by white feathers. A peek of the side of her breast, a slight look at her curvaceous hip, a momentary sighting of her bare left leg, the quick appearance of her flat stomach and Booth was gripping his hands on the sides of his keyboard. He'd been in a physical relationship with her for two years and it didn't stop him from being mesmerized as he continued to watch her act.

Her radiant smile made her look so young and so happy and he knew she probably was. Anthropology was her thing and to work as a stripper for one day was probably a feather in her cap (so to speak).

Still, there she was on the internet for all the world to see if they wanted to. It infuriated him that someone had filmed her act and had posted it on the internet. Some of the comments were unflattering because of her awkwardness and some comments made him want to track down the owners of the words and put a bullet in their fucking brain.

This was not good.

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Booth waited until he knew Brennan was in Bones Storage working on an unknown before he came to the Lab. As quietly as possible, he had moved down the hallway and ducked into Angela's office. Relieved to find her there, Booth closed the door behind him and advanced towards her desk. "Angela, I need your help."

Surprised to see him, Angela looked up from her bank statement and smiled. "Good, I hate balancing my check book." When he didn't return her smile, Angela knew he was upset. "What's wrong?"

With a quick glance at the empty hallway, Booth moved around her desk and stood beside her. Pointing at her PC, he cleared his throat. "I have something I need you to see and um . . . I want you to hack in and delete something."

A little alarmed, Angela wheeled her chair back and gave him access to her keyboard. "You do know that's against the law?"

He knew he was risking them both, but he needed help. "I know . . . when you see this, then maybe you'll get why." Once more he made sure no one was standing outside the door, then quickly entered the URL and hit enter. Impatiently he waited for the video to appear. Clicking onto the arrow it started.

At first Angela was confused. "Hey, what's the idea of showing me a stripper on my computer? You do know that this is pornography and . . ." Her mouth fell open and she stared in disbelief. "No . . . no this isn't . . . it can't be . . . is it?" She turned to stare at Booth. "No way."

"Yes way." Booth sighed and crossed his arms. "Bones mentioned that she stripped once for some class project and . . . and I wanted to see if it was possible that it had been recorded and . . ." Booth rubbed his forehead. "She's a famous author and considered the best forensic anthropologist in the country . . . if anyone figures out that this young woman is Bones . . ." He couldn't finish.

Angela turned her attention back to the screen and realized that Booth was right. They needed to protect Brennan even if Brennan didn't think she needed it. "Yeah . . . um . . . okay . . . just don't worry about it . . . okay?"

Not sure if she was telling him she was going to get rid of it, Booth opened his mouth and then closed it. "I trust you Angela."

She knew he was worried about what he was asking her to do, but in the mean time, she wasn't sure she should verbally agree to do it. If it was ever traced back to her, she need to be able to deny it. "Yes . . . thank you for showing me this. It's interesting, but still whoever posted it had the right to do so . . . well probably." She moved her finger over the delete button and caught his eyes. "You understand?"

Relieved, Booth smiled. "Yeah . . . thank you Angela."

"Not a problem. Have a nice day." Angela moved closer so she had full access to her keyboard. Turning her head, she stared at Booth. "Accidents happen."

A grim smile on his face, Booth nodded his head. "You're the best."

"I know." Angela would take care of it because Brennan was her best friend and she'd done much worse in her day to protect her.

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Booth periodically checked the URL during the afternoon. The video would appear and he would close it. He became anxious that Angela would change her mind until 3:14 pm when the video failed to come up. Flooded with a sense of relief, Booth smiled and patted the side of his PC. "Thanks Angela."

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Confident she was doing the right thing, Angela entered Booth's office and closed the door behind her. "Hey Booth."

He hadn't expected her to come to his office, but since she had, Booth took the opportunity to thank her. "Hey, I saw it's down. Thanks."

Angela sat down on the chair across from his desk and placed a DVD on the top of his desk. "Not a problem . . . well there was a problem and you to need to know what I did and why . . . not to go into too great a detail, I found out who posted it, hacked his computer and deleted the original video plus over one hundred other videos. Next I did a very bad thing . . . want to know what it was?"

Nervous about her tone of voice and what she might have done, Booth nodded his head and waited for her tell him.

Amused at his expression, Angela smiled. "I sent him some malware that basically destroyed his hard drive. Considering all the pervy videos he had on there . . . well, I was doing everyone a service. Just from the few I checked, he had a lot of videos of young women doing a strip routine at clubs. It couldn't have been legal. I'm sure they didn't give him permission to do that."

"No, probably not." Booth would have liked to send Vice after him, but he knew he couldn't, not without implicating Angela and himself in some illegal hacking. "What's on the DVD?"

A flash of a bright smile, Angela leaned over and nudged the DVD case towards Booth. "I thought you might like a copy of Brennan's act."

Surprised, Booth picked it up and glanced at his friend. "I hope this is the only copy."

"Of course." Angela stood up. "You do know Brennan would be upset with us if she knew what we'd done."

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "I have no intention of telling her." Booth placed the DVD in the top drawer of his desk and locked it. "Are you?"

Angela smiled. "Of course not." Her good deed done for the day, Angela turned to leave. As she started for the door a sudden thought hit her. With a sly smile on her lips, she stopped and turned to look at Booth. "You don't have anything on the internet I should look for do you? Sex tapes . . . maybe a little male strip club part time job?"

Indignantly, Booth huffed. "No!"

Angela turned and opened the door. Her laughter filling the room, she left Booth's office and continued to laugh as she moved towards the elevator causing heads in the bullpen to turn and track her.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	18. Chapter 18

(The Lance to the Heart)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones, not even a little bit.

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 _She'd shot at the lock to break it open and the bullet had hit the steel door instead, reflected off the hard surface and raced back at her partner. Hit, Booth crumpled to the floor where he lay with his hand pressed against his chest._

 _Panicked, Brennan raced to his side and screamed his name. "Booth!" His face pale, a pool of blood forming underneath him, Brennan knelt beside him, pulled his phone from his pocket, dialed 911 and told the operator where to find them. Once that was done, she pressed her hands against her partner's chest and cried. "You have to stay, Booth. You have to stay. You can't leave me."_

 _His face pasty, Booth trembled under her touch. "Bones . . . Bo . . ." His eyes closed and he passed from this life to the next._

 _Horrified, Brennan pulled him into her arms and begged him. "Please . . . no . . . please stay . . . don't leave me." He was dead and she was alone. "BOOTH!"_

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Jerked awake, Booth rolled over and moved towards Brennan. The horrible way she had cried out his name, told him that she was having another nightmare. Gently, he pulled her into his embrace and tried to soothe her. "Bones . . . Bones wake up . . . Bones."

Suddenly awake in her husband's arms, Brennan moved her hands so they were on the sides of his face. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she cried. "I . . . I . . . you left me . . . you . . . you died and . . ."

"Bones, I'm right here." The death of Sweets had been hard on both of them and they had both suffered terrible nightmares for the last few days. Sometimes they dreamt about their young friend's death and sometimes it was the death of their spouse. After each dream, they would wake to find their partner beside them, concerned and lovingly speaking to them.

"I dreamt that you'd died." Brennan's tears slowly faded and then stopped. "It seemed so real."

Aware that nightmares could confuse the dreamer, Booth kissed her. "They always do, but they aren't. I'm fine. It was just a bad dream."

Grateful that Booth was there in the flesh and not taken from her, Brennan attempted to smile. "It would seem that we can't escape from our pasts . . . My dream . . . remember that time when I tried to shoot the lock on the door and the bullet ricocheted and grazed your leg?"

"You mean when you shot me." Booth laughed. He was always reminding her about the time she shot him.

Her hands fell away from his face and she moved to sit up. "I didn't shoot you. That was a ricochet. I can't be held liable for that."

Amused, Booth sat up and leaned against the headboard. "I told you no to shoot the lock, but you wouldn't listen and you did it anyway. The bullet that hit me was from your gun and your finger pressed the trigger, so yeah, you shot me." He knew she was going to protest and that was what he was counting on. If she was busy defending herself then she wasn't upset about Sweets or her dreams.

Outraged that Booth couldn't admit that he was a victim of circumstance, Brennan crossed her arms against her breasts. "I shot the lock not you. You were in the way when the bullet reflected towards you. You can't keep saying that I shot you when I clearly didn't."

Her indignation so cute to him, Booth placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to his side. "You can't science you way out of that one, Annie Oakley . . . come on . . . it's late and we need to sleep." He kissed the side of her head. "Do you think you can go back to sleep now or do you want to stay up for a while?"

Her outrage gone, Brennan realized that Booth had been teasing her to cheer her up. Grateful that he was there with her, she smiled. "I think I can sleep now . . . I hope I can."

Somberly, Booth removed his arm from around his wife, slid down the mattress and lay on his back. "We've had a hell of a year . . . it's going to get better Bones . . . it has to."

Brennan moved so that she was lying next to her husband. "That is why our dreams are so active. There has been too many tragedies in the last year . . . what happened to you . . . it's been so hard . . ."

"Hey, it's okay." Booth's searched for her hand and held it in his hand. His thoughts taking a sour turn, he thought about his imprisonment and how it reminded him too much of his time as a prisoner of war in Iraq. He kept trying to put it behind him, but except for his Bones, he found it hard to trust anyone. That not only affected him it affected her as well. His faith in the system had been destroyed and he didn't really have anything else to replace it with. "We're going to get through this . . . we will. It's going to take time." He wished he really believed that, but it was important to make her believe it. "We've been through a lot, but we're still together. We've got each other and no matter how much crap comes our way, we're going to make it."

His hand like a life line, Brennan squeezed it. "Yes, we will." She knew that her husband was struggling and it worried her more than she let on. His nightmares, his short temper, his distrust of everyone made her feel like she was losing a part of him and she was desperate to stop him from disappearing from her completely. She had mentioned to Sweets it was as if Booth had died and Sweets had agreed with her. That thought terrified her more than she liked to admit. She wanted the old Booth back and she feared that would never happen. His faith had been destroyed, he'd almost been killed by people he should have been able to trust. She would help him find his way. She loved him too much to let him slip away from her.

The warmth of her hand in his hand helped him to relax. She has been his anchor for a long time. Their separation after the Gravedigger's trial had been hard on both of them, but it had left him floundering. He had been uncertain about his future and he hadn't known if he would ever work with Brennan again let alone continue their friendship. His anchor had been taken away from him and he'd tried to replace it with Hannah. That disaster proved to him that there was only one person in the world that he could trust and he knew he needed to make sure he never lost her again. "I'm trying Bones . . . Just give me time, okay?"

"I will, Booth." Brennan clutched his hand. "I will give you all the time you need. As long as we are together, we have all the time we need."

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	19. Chapter 19

(The Crank in the Shaft)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I really appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

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 _Aggravated because of the turn in the conversation, Booth protested Brennan's views. "Look, I do not work for some faceless bureaucracy, okay? I work for the United States government and so do you. Which makes you a drone too."_

 _Brennan was not going to allow that statement to stand." No . . . no, I'm a completely independent contractor operating out of the Jeffersonian. In the hive, I would be the queen bee."_

 _His annoyance growing, Booth shot back. "Still in the hive!"_

 _With a lift of her chin, she made sure he didn't equate her with drones. "In which I am the queen."_

 _His hands clinched in fists, he stepped in the copier room and tried to ignore his partner. She drove him crazy sometimes and all he could do was move on._

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Later that weekend, Booth was sitting in his grandfather's living room and talking to him about his partner. "She's so damn stuck up sometime. Don't get me wrong, I really like her and she's probably the best friend I've ever had, but still, she's so damn stuck up. She called me a drone in a hive just because I work for the government, but hell's bells she works for the government too. Does that make a difference? Hell no, she says she's the queen of the hive and I'm her drone or a drone."

Hank let his grandson speak unhindered. He actually found the whole thing very funny. Once Booth wound down enough, Hank shook his head. "Well you did say she's beautiful and a genius and she doesn't take shit from anyone. Maybe that does make her the queen of the hive."

Exasperated, Booth leaned back against his chair. "Hey, whose side are you on any way? I'm telling you I've been insulted by my partner and you take her side."

Amused, Hank sipped his beer and the watched his grandson sulk. "I'm not taking anyone's side. I'm just making an observation." The old man placed his beer bottle down on the coaster on the coffee table and leaned back against his couch. "I've been thinking about Temperance . . . about the things you've told me. Ever consider that the reason why she can't admit she's a drone or part of the establishment is because of her experience with Foster Care?"

"What?" He was definitely a little confused with his grandfather's question. "Why would that make her consider herself better than me?"

"Not better than you." Hank clasped his hands on his lap. "She's trying not to be part of the government."

Not sure he followed his grandfather's reasoning, Booth shook his head. "What's your point?"

Hank leaned over and picked up his beer bottle. While he sipped some of the cold brew, he considered how he should answer the question. "When she was a teenager, she was dumped in to Foster Care. From what you told me, she was treated pretty badly. In fact, you said her records showed that she was hurt by one set of her foster parents and she ended up being hospitalized. They arrested the foster parents and then they dumped her in another home . . . right?"

Booth nodded his head and sipped his beer.

"Okay." Hank thought he was on the right track. "Well, when she was rescued she was placed with families that didn't treat her like a family member."

Unable to prevent it, Booth snorted. "Those assholes were in it for the money, at least the foster parents she had did it for the money. Foster Care is better now because they inspect the homes and the backgrounds of people before they get to take care of kids like her."

"My point is, Temperance was treated like a cog in a wheel." Hank placed his beer bottle back on the coaster. "The government controlled her life. They told her where she could live and who she could live with. What schools she could go to. They didn't make sure she was taken care of properly . . . the government let her down. She doesn't want to be associated with something like that and who can blame her?"

His grandfather's words made sense and Booth knew it. "Maybe. Also she's damn smart and she's the top of her field. If she was in a hive, I guess she would be the queen."

"She probably would be." Hank smiled at his grandson. "And you could be her drone."

Not amused, Booth shook his head. "I wouldn't be some damn drone. I'd be the king of the hive."

Hank shook his head and laughed. "Okay if you say so."

His thoughts suddenly on his own childhood. Booth became tense. His body almost rigid. "If it hadn't been for you, I would have either died or I would have ended up in Foster Care. You saved me from that Pops. I can never thank you enough for what you did for me and Jared."

Hank didn't like to dwell on the past too much especially the awful things done to his grandsons and daughter-in-law by his own son. "No way you would have ever ended up in Foster Care, Shrimp. Your mother's sister Ruth would have took you kids in if I hadn't been there and she had found out what was going on. Ruth would never have allowed the government to take you."

Solemnly, Booth nodded his head. "Yeah . . . I miss her. She died so young. Damn cancer. It like to broke my heart that I couldn't go to her funeral, but I was at Walter Reed at the time because of my feet and I had those operations to get through . . . she was the best."

"She really was." Hank had met Ruth a few times along with her roommate Frannie and had considered them both to be good people. "Your father hated Ruth, but she was really nice and so caring. I wouldn't have minded her being my daughter. A daughter would have been nice to have around, but we only had the one chick. Your Nana wanted more kids, but she couldn't have any."

"Yeah." Booth knew he'd been blessed when it came to how his life had turned out. "I had it a hell of a lot better than Bones did. I guess she has a right to be queen of the hive."

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	20. Chapter 20

(After the Hole in the Heart)

Thank you for reviewing my story.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Stunned, Booth left his neurologist's office and walked out into the parking lot. Like a rusty automation, he moved over to where his SUV was parked and stood next to it for a long time. A horn blaring on the road next to the parking lot stirred him from his morbid thoughts and he realized that he needed to get back to work.

Fumbling with his keys, he finally managed to get the door open and slowly he entered the truck still in a daze. After he placed the keys in the ignition, he sat there staring at the traffic passing in front of him. Tears finally escaped his lashes, he leaned over the steering wheel and cried.

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After he left the neurologist's office, he drove over to the National Mall, parked his truck and wandered around the reflecting pool. Once he got to the steps leading up to the Lincoln Memorial, he sat down and stared at the reflecting pool. The sun overhead was bright and the day was very warm, but Booth actually felt cold.

His headaches had been bad for the last two weeks and he'd become concerned enough that he'd made an appointment with his neurologist. Dr. Latrobe had asked him a series of questions and filled with concern for his patient, he'd made an appointment for Booth to get an MRI. He tried to assure Booth that it was just precautionary, but Booth could only see the dark side of his doctor's caution. His tumor might be back.

His life was finally where he wanted it to be and he wasn't sure how to handle this. Brennan had given him a chance and they were in a relationship. How could he tell her that it might be a short relationship after all? What if he died? He was worried that she might think of it as abandonment and he was afraid for her.

Not sure what he was supposed to do or say, he decided not to say anything for the time being.

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Listlessly stirring some sugar into his coffee, Booth stared at the spoon as he rotated it in the cup. Puzzled with his behavior, Brennan became concerned when he continued to move the spoon around in the cup. After two minutes of repetitive stirring, Brennan reached over and placed her hand around Booth's hand, stopping him from any more stirring.

A little dazed, Booth looked up and frowned. "What?"

"Booth is something wrong?" Brennan watched him move his hand from her hand and remove the spoon from the cup, slowly placing it down on the table.

Afraid to say anything about his upcoming MRI, Booth picked up his cup and sipped some of the hot beverage. Her crisp blue eyes penetrating into his fog, Booth placed the cup down and attempted to smile. "No, everything's fine."

Slowly shaking her head, Brennan leaned back and stared at her boyfriend. "I know you, Booth. Something is wrong. Tell me what it is . . . do you regret our relationship? Are you afraid to tell me that we made a mistake?"

Appalled at her questions, Booth reached across that table and grabbed her hand. "What are you kidding me? No of course not. Don't even go there."

Her anxiety growing, Brennan turned her hand in his and clutched it. "Tell me what is wrong, Booth."

Not sure he could tell her without being emotional about it, Booth stared at their clasped hands and refused to speak.

A feeling of dread threatening to overwhelm her, Brennan placed her free hand over their clasped hands. "Booth, no matter how bad your news is, you need to share it with me. Is it Parker or Hank? Has something happened to one of them?"

He knew he was scaring Brennan and he needed to stop it. "I've been having headaches. A lot of them lately. I went to see Dr. Latrobe and . . . and he wants me to do an MRI. He wants to see if it's back . . . the tumor . . . it might be back."

"Oh Booth." Brennan felt on the verge of tears, but she knew that would not help either one of them. "When is your appointment?"

Booth cleared his throat and swallowed. "Tomorrow morning."

Her thoughts racing ahead, Brennan nodded her head. "I will go with you tomorrow. We will face this together."

Afraid of what another brain tumor would mean, Booth cleared his throat once more. "I'm sorry, Bones. It took us so long to get together and now . . . and now we may not have very long . . ."

"Stop it!" Brennan's voice had risen louder than she had meant it to, causing heads to turn and stare at them. Realizing that she was attracting unwanted attention, Brennan lowered her voice and leaned closer towards Booth. "One, we don't know if your tumor has come back. Two, if it has then more than likely it will be non-malignant. Three, if it is malignant there is a chance it can be removed and you will not be bothered with it afterward. Four . . . four, no matter how much time we have together it will never be enough Booth whether it is six months or six years or sixty years. I love you and I want us to have a long and happy life together and we will, Booth. We will."

His love for her just seemed to never stop growing. Booth smiled. "Sure, we'll get those sixty years. Of course I'll be 100 and you'll be 95 and we'll probably be eating baby food by then cause we got no teeth, but what the hell we'll still be together."

Brennan had always thought her boyfriend's sense of humor was odd and that's one of the things that endeared him to her.

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That evening, they lay in bed together holding each other. "It's crazy, you know." Booth slowly rubbed his hand up and down Brennan's arm and kept his voice soft. "It took so long for us to get together and I've never been so happy. You make me so damn happy and I don't want to leave you, Bones."

Lying partially on Booth, her legs tangled with his, Brennan fisted his t-shirt and tried to assure him once more. "Booth just because you've had an increase in headaches doesn't mean your tumor is back. You have been under a lot of stress the last three weeks. You were chasing Brodsky, he threatened to kill you . . . in fact he did try to kill you and killed Vincent instead. You caught him, but you had to shoot him and I know you hated that part, though luckily you didn't have to kill him to stop him . . . We've crossed our line and we're in a relationship . . ."

"Bones, no way that last bit is stressful." Booth didn't want her to think he was having second thoughts about their relationship because he wasn't. "I'm happy, Bones. Really really happy."

Brennan was happy too, but she knew that there was stress between them. "We're very independent people, Booth. Of course there is stress in our relationship. We're still trying to figure out our living arrangements, so I know you are under stress. I am not like your previous girlfriends and . . ."

"Bones, come on." Booth hated to see her worrying about anything let alone their relationship. "We're going to work it all out. We're the center and we're going to hold. Sure we've been bickering a little bit more than normal, but we've never lived together before and we have to get used to each other. We'll make it."

Brennan snuggled against Booth. "Of course we will."

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Booth had the MRI done and both he and Brennan sat in Dr. Latrobe's office waiting for the final verdict. Unable to sit still, Booth's right leg bobbed up and down, his poker chip clutched tightly in his hand. He was so nervous he thought he might throw up and he knew that would be very embarrassing if that happened.

Aware that Booth was a bundle of nervousness, Brennan finally moved her chair closer to his chair and placed her arm around his waist. "I'd like to take a few extra days off next weekend and go somewhere. I could buy us plane tickets for St. Croix and we could spend the weekend just lying on the beach, drinking rum and perhaps swimming. Although if we go swimming I don't think we should drink too much rum. I don't want either of us to drown. That would be an unsatisfactory end to an idyllic vacation."

His eyes twinkling, Booth laughed. "Bones, that sounds like a great idea. Not the drowning part, but the rest of it. It sounds great. Maybe you could use your fame as an author and get us a great room at one of the hotels at maybe a famous person's discount."

Before she could comment on his obsession with discounts and coupons, Dr. Latrobe entered the room. "Seeley great news." The surgeon sat down behind his desk. "It's not a brain tumor."

Filled with relief, Booth's leg stopped bobbing. "Really?"

"Yes, really." The surgeon smiled. "I think your very stressful job is causing the headaches. The MRI doesn't show anything that we need to be concerned with. Take a vacation. Go somewhere peaceful and relax."

"That is exactly what we are going to do." Brennan smiled at Booth. "We are going to go on vacation and we are going to have fun."

Ecstatic, Booth stood up and pulled Brennan into his arms. "God this is great. We're going to get our 40 or 50 or 60 years together, Bones. Baby food and all."

Brennan laughed. "Perhaps but I will pass on the baby food unless we have a baby of course. I personally do not plan to eat any no matter how old I get."

"A baby." Booth kissed her and grinned. "We can work on making one of those when we go on vacation if you want to."

So happy, Brennan returned his kiss. "Yes, you can make a direct deposit this time."

Confused, Booth shook his head. "Um . . . okay, what?"

Brennan laughed. "It's something Angela told me a long time ago. When you offered to give me your sperm to make a baby, Angela said you should make a direct deposit."

A slight blush on his cheeks, Booth shook his head. "Of course she did."

Dr. Latrobe found it very amusing that he had been forgotten by the couple. "Well, Seeley, I hope I don't see you again until your next scheduled appointment."

Booth released Brennan and turned to face his doctor. "Thanks, Doc. That's the plan."

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Reviews would be great. Thank you.


	21. Chapter 21

I had a few requests for a sequel to chapter 20. I hope this is what you wanted.

I don't own Bones.

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The gentle surf rolled in and out splashing Booth's legs as he stood on the edge of the beach watching a sailboat glide by in the distance. "This is a great beach, Bones. We're going to have to use your fame more often when we travel. I mean really. This place has everything we need and it didn't cost as much as the regular rooms."

Amused that Booth loved discounts so much, Brennan leaned over and picked up a sea shell half buried in the sand. Straightening, she brushed off the sand and smiled at the colorful marks embedded in the shell. "I think Parker will like this one. He did say to find him as many different ones as we can."

"It's going to cost a fortune to mail all those seashells to Parker in England." Booth pointed at the plastic pale resting on the wet sand next to Brennan's bare feet and shook his head.

Certain that the shell was unique in her collection, Brennan placed it in the pail and picked up the bucket. "I can afford it, Booth. Don't worry about it." Hooking her free arm around his arm, she slowly swung the pail and stared at the sailboat as it sailed out of sight. "I've never been here before, but it is quite nice. I don't usually take vacations and do nothing . . . it seems unproductive. I don't really care for inactivity."

Booth knew she was trying hard to relax, but she really wasn't someone that could sit still for long. "Hey, we can do whatever you want. If you want to go for a walk or go look at something then I'm game. It's your vacation too."

"We could go scuba diving." Brennan stared at the blue waters and thought of the possibilities.

He hated to disappoint her, but scuba diving was definitely a problem. "Um, I don't really know how to do that, Bones. If you want to do that, you can. I'll just stay on the beach and drink a few rums and maybe read a book or I could nap. It's all good."

Disappointed, Brennan shook her head. "No, we're on vacation together and I don't want to do something you can't participate in . . . I read that there is a horseback stable available. They give tours of the rain forest on horseback."

Riding a horse when the beach beckoned to him didn't seem like fun at all, but Booth wanted Brennan to be happy. "Hey that sounds like a great idea. We'll do that tomorrow. Right now, how about we go rent an umbrella and get some big towels and just lay on the beach, drink a little rum, make out a little and maybe swim some . . . remember we don't want to drown though."

Amused, Brennan laughed. "Yes, that would be a terrible turn of events . . . okay, we'll enjoy the beach today and take the tour tomorrow."

As they walked back towards their hotel room to change into swim wear, Booth breathed in the warm salty air. "We needed this Bones. We needed the break."

Brennan agreed. "Yes, we've had a lot of things we've had to deal with for the last year. This will allow us to recharge our storage cells."

He had to think about it for a few seconds. "Um, batteries. We can recharge our batteries."

Not sure why he was correcting her, Brennan shook her head. "That's what I said." Sometimes she thought he was a little too obtuse, but that was alright. She loved him anyway.

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The next day the happy couple arrived at the horse farm to take their intended tour. Eager to start the tour, Brennan had listed the possible things they might see while on the tour and Booth had let her ramble on. He loved her teacher mode and sometimes he picked up things he didn't know. Because of her he watched the Discovery Channel and it turned out to be quite eye opener sometimes, especially 'Shark Week'. Who knew that there was cool things to watch on squint television?

Sometimes he worried that he might be too dumb for Brennan and he wondered why she was even remotely interested in him. He made it a point to read more and he even flipped on the National Geographic Channel sometimes. Of course, to be honest with himself, sometimes she over did the teacher thing and it bugged the hell out of him. Some of the things she told him could be pretty disturbing, but he did have to admit no matter what she was talking about, he learned new things every time she was in that mode. Remembering her lecture on toothbrushes and toilets he shuddered. _That was pretty gross I got to admit._

"Booth have you ridden horses very much?" Brennan was concerned that her boyfriend might not be able to handle a spirited horse.

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, some. I'm a city boy, so I haven't ridden a lot, but yeah some. I know enough to know which end is which . . . how to get on one and what not to do. Don't worry, I won't embarrass you and fall off."

"Oh I wouldn't be embarrassed if you fell off of a horse." Brennan was more concerned that he might get hurt. "Do you really wish to take this tour? I should have checked with you about your knowledge of horses before suggesting it. I'm sorry."

Parking their rental car in the parking lot, Booth paused before opening the door. "Bones why are you apologizing? If I didn't want to do this, I would have told you. It's fine." He leaned over and kissed her. "Relax." He kissed her again. "This is fine. I promise." Once more he kissed her. Truth be told, if he could have got away with it he probably would have copped a feel, but the parking lot was busy and he wasn't about to be someone's entertainment. "Let's boogy, Bones. We don't want them to run out of horses."

His kisses had been very invigorating and Brennan was a little disappointed that he'd stopped. "I had to make an appointment last night for this tour. They aren't going to run out of horses, Booth."

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

While Booth and Brennan waited for their horses to be led out of the stable, they were both shocked and dismayed to find someone they knew approaching them from the parking lot. "I can't believe this. Booth . . . Tempe . . . what are the odds I'd find you two here?"

Disturbed, Booth turned and saw his old friend Timothy Sullivan getting closer. _Fuck!_ "Oh hey, Sully. What the hell are you doing here?" Booth held out his hand, albeit a little reluctantly and shook the former FBI Agent's hand. "The last I heard you were running a tour in St. Lucia."

Brennan turned and once Sully released Booth's hand, she stepped forward and hugged her former lover. "It's nice to see you." Though their relationship had ended upon a sad note, she was in a relationship with Booth and her past with Sully wasn't important. Not really. She knew she had made the right choice all of those years ago to stay at the Jeffersonian and Sully had just been a temptation. A nice temptation, but nothing more. "Are you still running your tour business?"

Sully shook his head and laughed. "Nah, I sold it. It was too damn much for me. Who knew babysitting tourists on a boat would make me question the veracity of laws against murder? Me an FBI agent . . . I sold it and I joined the police force here. I've been a cop for about a year now . . . I've been thinking about going back into the FBI. I just haven't made up my mind yet . . . So, you two are on vacation together? Your partnership that tight now?"

"Booth and I are in a monogamous sexual relationship, now." Brennan blurted it out and moved closer to Booth. Grabbing his hand, she smiled at Booth and then at her former lover. "I'm pregnant and Booth is the father."

She had spoken out loud enough for the other tourists standing nearby to hear which had caused a few chuckles and titters of laughter to ring out. Confused, Brennan looked at the amused strangers and frowned.

Booth knew that she didn't understand why she was being laughed at and he it made a point to glare at the nosy people standing near them. Most of them sensed that they might be in possible danger and stepped away from the trio.

"No kidding." Sully flicked his gaze between Booth and then Brennan. "I knew you were interested in Tempe, Booth. I even told you so . . . well, now I know why you turned me down, Tempe. I get it." He had been sad that she had turned him down and he'd never really understood why she had, but now it made total sense to him. He had offered her a new life, but she wasn't interested because of Booth. He had just been too dense to see it. "Congrats on the baby."

His arm now around Brennan's shoulders, Booth smirked at his friend. "Thanks. So, why are you here today? Going on the tour? Shouldn't you be at work or something?"

Sully glanced at Brennan and shook his head. "It's Sunday. I don't work on Sunday . . . Yeah, I thought I might take a ride. I've been on the tour a couple of times. It's relaxing."

"I don't feel well, Booth." Brennan had seen the look on Sully's face when she had told him about her pregnancy and she knew that he still had feelings for her or at least he did. She wasn't very good at picking up emotions from people that she didn't know, but she knew Sully. She'd dated him for several weeks. They'd slept together. She could see that he was sad and that made her sad. She didn't want to cause him more emotional pain. Add to that, Booth was tense and she thought Booth might be uncomfortable around his old friend. "Perhaps it would be best if we went back to our hotel room. I'm feeling slightly nauseous which might be a sign of morning sickness. Even though I have not suffered from that particular illness yet, it might be manifesting now."

Worried, Booth dropped his arm from her shoulders and faced her. "Bones if you're sick we definitely shouldn't be riding horses in the jungle." Booth took her hand in his hand and turned to face the parking lot. "Come on, let's go. We can stay in our room for the rest of the day. Maybe you're just too hot." He pulled her hand and started to move towards the car they had rented. "We can stop at a convenient store and I'll buy you some soda crackers. Rebecca told me that they helped her when she was shaky during her first trimester."

"Yes, that would be an excellent idea Booth." She was lying about feeling sick and Brennan really abhorred lying, but she knew it was up to her to get them both away from a social situation that would just cause tension and just a bit of anxiety between Booth and Sully. She was well aware that Booth was exhibiting his usual jealous self when it came to men interested in her. She might be socially awkward, but she knew Booth and she knew when to concede that a situation was better if they were absent. "Angela ate them when she felt ill during her pregnancy. She said they helped her immensely."

Sully watched Booth and Brennan walk away and he knew that they had forgotten about him. It had been nice to see them both, but really, he knew that Brennan had never been meant for him. He had tried to get her interested in his world, but she already had a world she loved. He had just been an interesting diversion and nothing more. _Still it was nice to see her again._

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thanks. Reviews are always appreciated.


	22. Chapter 22

(The Life in the Light)

A/N: This story came about because of a conversation I had with Mendenbar.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

The coolness in the bar a welcome relief from the heat outside, Booth sipped his Scotch and stared at his image in the mirror behind the bar. "Bones let me come back home."

Relieved that Booth and Brennan were back together, Aldo's face broke out into a grin. "Well thank God for that." Pouring himself a small glass of whiskey, he held it up in front of Booth. "Sláinte" _._ Tossing the drink back against his throat, he savored the slight burn as he swallowed it.

Raising his own glass, Booth sipped more of his drink and lowered the glass. "Yeah. I'm back home, but she's afraid. Then again so am I. She's taking a risk that I'll behave and not gamble anymore. I can't let her down. The next time she may kick me out for good. I can't go down that road anymore. I can't risk her never taking me back."

"Have you figured out why you gambled again, after all this time?" Aldo worried that Booth's trigger might not be gone. "You've been under a hell of a lot of pressure, all the crap that's been done to you and Temperance."

He blew his breathe out slowly between his lips while he stared at the partially filled glass in his hand. "I'm not a hundred percent certain, but . . ."

Aldo waited and when his friend didn't continue, he leaned against the bar and lowered his voice. "If you don't know then how are you going to guard yourself? You have to know what triggered it."

"You know when I was in the Army I was approached by the FBI." Booth stared at his image in the mirror again. "I was having a bad time with all the deaths I was responsible for. You remember."

Since Booth's crises of faith was the reason he was no longer a priest, Aldo nodded his head. He couldn't blame Booth for his own crises, but he did resent the fact that God had made a good man like Booth doubt his own humanity over and over. "Yeah, I remember."

"The recruiter talked to me for quite a while and I realized that I would be better off with the FBI than the Army." Booth finished his drink and placed the glass on the bar, his gaze still on his own image. "I could go to college part time and get my degree and once that was done I could leave the Army and join the FBI . . . They were doing great things and I'd get to help."

Booth paused and considered what he was about to say. "I thought by working for the FBI I could help erase some of my bad karma on my cosmic balance sheet. I killed so many men and the blood on my hands was getting harder to wash off . . . Working for the FBI, I could save kidnap victims. I could stop evil people from destroying lives. I could catch murderers and make them pay for taking lives . . . It was an answer to my prayer. It was the best thing I could do for my soul."

As he listened to Booth talk, Aldo remembered the young soldier who had come to him to confess his sins over and over again. The young man who had agonized over killing for his country even if those deaths were for the greater good. That young man's many crises of faith during that time had eaten at Aldo until he couldn't stand it anymore. He hated that God could make a young man fear for his immortal soul.

Booth pushed his empty glass towards his friend and smiled. "How about another?" While Aldo refilled his glass, Booth waited patiently. Once it was ready, he took the filled glass in his hand and sipped some of the fiery amber liquid. "I trusted the FBI. They were the good guys. I was a good guy. With Bones' help, we caught a hell of a lot of murderers. I was able to help rescue kidnap victims sometimes. We took evil people out of the population and we protected our people, our country. That's what we did. I loved working for the FBI. It was . . . it was great. It gave me a greater purpose, it . . ."

Aldo heard the sadness in Booth's voice and he felt so sad for him. "And then they betrayed you."

Somberly, Booth nodded his head. "Yeah. They betrayed me . . . They knew me, they knew I wasn't a murderer and yet . . . I was in prison for murder." Booth pounded his fist on top of the bar. "Murder!" His throat tight, Booth knew he was being too emotional, but the wound was still raw. "I loved the FBI and I was loyal to them. I've always done whatever they asked me to do and . . . none of it mattered. They treated me like Howard Epps. They assumed I was guilty, that I could murder three Agents. They didn't care that I was attacked in my own home. They . . . they didn't look into any further than they had to. They believed some absolute bullshit. I almost died when those guys came for me. I was defending myself. Durant wanted me dead and those guys weren't Agents, but the FBI didn't bother to even verify what happened. I'll never forgive them for that. Never!"

His friend in emotional pain, Aldo reached over and placed his hand over Booth's clenched fist. Glancing at the back of the bar, he was glad that he had only two other customers and that they were busy watching a soccer match on the TV. "But you're working for them again, so you must have forgiven them."

"Never!" Booth removed his hand from under his friend's hand. He moved his glass up to his lips and drank down his drink until the glass was empty. "Never. I'll never forgive them for what they did."

Confused, Aldo shook his head. "I don't understand . . . "

"I'll never trust those fuck ups again." Booth interrupted his friend. "But I have to be me. I want to help people that need it. I want to catch murderers who thought it was okay to take someone's life. I want to lock up the evil people of the world, but to do that I have to work for the FBI. I need the broad jurisdiction of my job to do what I do. Bones needs my link to the FBI to do what she does. I can't stop working for them, but I'll never trust them ever again. That's done. I'm not naive enough to every let that happen again."

Aldo slowly nodded his head. "Okay . . ."

"That was the trigger." Booth rushed to get it out. "The betrayal, Sweets' murder . . . it ate at me. It made me weak and it made me not want to care like I used to. My life was out of control and no matter how much I tried I couldn't seem to get that back . . . and then I went under cover and I gambled and I remembered how much I loved to gamble and I could count on that when I couldn't count on anything else. The winning gave me a rush and it gave me a false sense of control. Hell at first I was making so much money I put some of it in Parker's college fund and I bought a necklace for Bones for the hell of it. It wasn't a holiday and I didn't have to save up to buy it. I could just walk into the jewelry store and slap some cash down and I could buy her something pretty because she deserved it. I deserved it."

Careful not to say anything, Aldo knew that Booth needed to vent and he let him.

"It was great until it wasn't." Booth sighed deeply. "I started to lose and I lost big. I risked my pregnant wife and my daughter over my fucking habit and I didn't know it until it was too late. Bones had a right to throw me out of the house. I needed that wake up call. I needed a reminder of why I can't gamble anymore . . . So yeah, I know what my trigger is and I know how to control it. I'll never trust anyone again except for my Bones and some of the squints. No one else gets a pass."

His hand rubbing his forehead, Aldo stared at Booth and knew that his friend had changed. "That's not good, Booth. You need to trust the people you work with."

Booth nodded his head. "I do. I trust Bones, Hodgins, Cam, Angela, Caroline and Aubrey. Those are my people. Everyone else can go to hell. This is how I'm going to control my trigger. Trust no one but my family. I'm done with everyone else."

Since his name hadn't been mentioned, Aldo wondered if he was part of Booth's family. "I'm your friend, Booth. You can count on me."

His cheeks now a dusky rose from embarrassment, Booth reached over and patted Aldo's hand. "Yeah, sorry. You're part of my family too, Aldo. Thanks."

Grimly, Aldo nodded his head. "Damn right I'm part of your family. There are more of us too if you'll just open your heart."

Slowly, Booth shook his head. "I can't take the risk, Aldo. I can never gamble again. I can't lose Bones. My family is small and it's going to remain small. I won't give my trust away like I use to. It has be earned."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	23. Chapter 23

(After the Change in the Game)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Booth wanted Brennan to be as comfortable as possible at his place when she stayed there. He knew that she craved orderliness and she had a system when it came to where her possessions resided. He didn't consider himself a slob, but he wasn't even close to her level of neatness.

"Bones, I emptied these two drawers for you." Booth opened the empty drawers in his dresser to show her. "They just had some fatigues and stuff like that. I put them in the dresser in Parker's room."

Not sure she wanted to intrude into his personal space, Brennan stepped over to the dresser and closed the drawers. "Booth, I can place my clothes and things in Parker's room. You don't have to give up your dresser space for me."

He opened one of the drawers again and tried to encourage her. "No don't do that. We're living with each other now. I'm going to keep stuff at your place and you're going to keep stuff here. I want to share my dresser with you." Booth snapped his fingers. "Oh hey, we can get another dresser and place it in here for you. There's room. I know this great antique store and they sell solid furniture at really reasonable prices. I've bought lots of stuff from there and it's all good stuff, not like the flimsy crap they try to sell you now a days."

Hesitating, Brennan stared at the opened drawer and glanced at Booth again. "If you're sure. I don't want to force you to change for me."

Surprised with her statement, Booth moved around the dresser and placed his arms around her. "I have changed for you and you've changed for me, Bones. It's already done. We aren't the people we were when we first met. Hell we aren't the people we were just a year ago. Not all change is bad you know." Booth stared into her crystal blue eyes and smiled. "You and me have been through a lot, a hell of a lot, but we got through it, but to do that we had to change. You get that don't you?"

His soft brown eyes were a comfort to her and she knew he was right no matter how much she wanted to deny it. "Yes, I'm not impervious anymore and you . . . you're happy . . . You are happy aren't you? I don't want to assume anything since . . ."

Not willing to let her finish the sentence, Booth kissed her. "I'm so happy I don't know how to keep it all inside sometimes." Kissing her once more, he held her in his arms and felt her relax. "This is all new . . . you and me, we're going to make mistakes and we're going to fight and bicker and it might even get really loud around here, but you know what?"

Her arms around his chest, Brennan listened to Booth's heartbeat. It was a very comforting sound. "No what?"

"It won't matter because you and me are friends no matter what happens, so we can work out our problems. We've known each other for six years and we've learned how to forgive and move on. You're going to do something to drive me nuts and I'm going to do things that will drive you around the bend, but and this important, it won't matter because we've been through so much crap we know that arguments and bickering aren't going to destroy our relationship. It hasn't in the past, so it can't in the future."

She had to agree he had a point. "Yes, you're right." She stepped out of his embrace and smiled at him. "I guess I'm just nervous. I haven't lived with anyone since I lived with Peter and we both know how that turned out."

Try as he might, he couldn't stop from rolling his eyes. "Peter . . . that guy was a freakin loser. You told me he was such a control freak that you had to toss his ass out of your apartment. Come on, this isn't going to end up like what happened with Peter. He wanted you to change a lot and you said he was always trying to diagnose you with some psychobabble bullshit. I don't want you to change. I love you just as you are . . . no ifs ands or buts about it . . . okay?"

His words were so sincere and she wanted to believe him. "Do you really think we'll have loud arguments?"

Booth laughed. "Of course we will. We have in the past. Why would that stop now? We're really independent people and we're not really used to giving in. It's who we are."

"And you're alright with that?" Brennan wanted to make sure.

Stepping around Brennan, Booth picked up the suitcase sitting in the bedroom doorway and carried it over to the bed. Once there, he placed it on the mattress, opened it and stared at the contents. "I won't be when we're arguing, but I'll get over it and so will you."

She loved the honesty of his answer. "Alright." Removing the panties from the suitcase, she placed them in the left side of the dresser drawer. "I don't think we need to get a second dresser. Two drawers will sufficient for me . . . Do I get closet space too?"

Booth walked over to the closet and opened it to display about three feet of empty closet. "Sure. I put my coats, jackets and sports stuff in Parker's bedroom. You can too. He's in England now and when he comes for visits, he'll only need a couple of drawers for his clothes. I mailed the clothes he left behind to Rebecca. He's growing so fast it would just be a waste to keep them here. He's going to be tall I think."

She heard the wistfulness in his voice and she knew Booth missed his son so much. "He will be here for the summer won't he?"

Booth sat down on the bed next to the suitcase and sighed. "I don't know. I want him to, but Rebecca says they just moved over there and she doesn't want to disrupt Parker's new routine. She's having him tutored and getting him ready for the new school he's going to attend . . . I don't get a say in it I guess."

Furious that Rebecca was so cavalier about Booth's feelings, she sat down next to him and looped her arm around his arm. "I will never separate you from our child Booth. You will always be a part of our child's life no matter what happens to our relationship."

Grateful for her kind words, Booth patted her hand. "Thanks Bones . . . thank you, but you and me, we're together now and you are stuck with me from here on out."

"You're welcome." Brennan knew he was a very good father and she was confident he would love their baby as much as he did Parker. "You're stuck with me too, Booth. I'm not going anywhere."

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Let me know what you think of this little story. Thanks.


	24. Chapter 24

(sometime in season 10)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I really don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

He slipped his wedding ring off of his finger and stared at the paler skin underneath. He felt a stabbing fear run through him, but shook it off. It would be alright he told himself. It's just for a little while.

Entering the bar, he noticed the lights were dim and the room was darker than it needed to be. He actually hated bars like this one. They looked like a place made for losers or for people with something to hide. He hoped he wouldn't be here long. His skin crawled just thinking about being caught by one of his friends or acquaintances in a place like this. There would be questions and he didn't really wanted to answer any.

As he stood just inside the door, he let his light bedazzled eyes grow accustomed to the darker room. The temperature outside on the sidewalk was a wax melting temperature and the sun was blazing down without remorse for man nor beast. Inside the bar, the temperature was much cooler and he felt relieved for the break, at least for the time being.

His gaze moved around the room and he spied her sitting at a table in the back near the hallway leading out to the alley. Her hair was flowing around her shoulders and what shoulders they were. Her sun dress exposed her smooth pale skin and allowed everyone that cared to look at a certain amount of cleavage.

Moving closer to her, Booth suddenly felt nervous. He wasn't sure why, but he did. Glancing down at his naked left ring finger, he shook his head and decided that he didn't like his finger bare like that.

"Is there a problem?" She stared at him and wondered what he was thinking. He was staring at his left hand and she noticed he wasn't wearing a ring. "Are you okay?"

Forcing himself to look away from his hand, Booth chuckled. "Yeah, I'm okay. I was just . . . um, well it's nothing. May I sit down or are you waiting for someone?"

The younger woman shook her head and smiled. "Yes, you may sit down. I'm here alone."

"Well, that's a shame." Booth sat down next to her and returned her smile. "A beautiful woman like you should never be alone."

Her cheeks turned rosy under his gaze and she moved her hand to pick up her glass of wine. "Thank you, but everyone is alone at least sometime in their lives."

The waitress came by and took Booth's order. Once that was done, she walked over to the bar and Booth shifted in his seat so he could get a better look at his companion. "This is my first time coming here. I normally get my drinks at the Founding Fathers."

After she sipped her wine, she waited for the waitress to place the glass of scotch in front of Booth and walk away. "I've had a few drinks there. It's a very busy place. This place is much quieter. A friend of mine used to come here when she was angry. She said she could think here."

Booth nodded his head and sipped some of the Scotch. Looking at her over the rim of his glass, he noticed that she was staring at his left hand. Not sure if he should have taken the ring off, Booth lowered his glass. "I noticed that you're not wearing a wedding ring."

She shrugged her shoulders and glanced at the front entrance as someone entered the bar. "Neither are you . . . you were wearing a ring on your left hand recently since your skin is lighter where a ring would normally be, more than the rest of your hand."

Surprised Booth nodded his head. "I'm surprised you can see that. The light in here is terrible."

"I have excellent eyesight." She sipped more of her wine and lowered her glass. Before she could say anything else, the man who had entered the room walked over to where she was sitting, placed his hands on the table and leaned heavily on it. "How much?"

Confused, she shook her head. "How much is what?"

Irritated the man leaned further over and leered at her. "For a shag. Come on. How much?"

Furious, Booth stood up, pulled the man around and grabbed the front of his shirt. "You fucking asshole. I'm sitting right here. She isn't alone. What makes you think you can just come in here and talk to someone like that?"

Grabbing Booth's wrists, the older man tried to force Booth's hands away, but couldn't. The fierce look he was getting made him afraid and he realized that he'd made a huge mistake. "Look I'm sorry. Hookers hang out here all the time. When I need a good screw I come here to find someone to take care of it. The way she's dressed and her make up . . . I mean um . . . I'm sorry. I . . . it was a mistake."

Booth pushed the man away from him and moved the left side of his jacket aside to display his holstered pistol on his hip. "Say you're sorry to the lady."

His skin pale and clammy, the stranger stammered his apology. "I . . . I'm sorry . . . I didn't . . . it wasn't my intention . . . I wasn't . . ."

Waving his hand towards the door, Booth spoke harshly, his hand shaking from anger. "Get the hell out of here before I do something I'll regret."

Quickly turning, the man scurried over to the door, pulled it open and fled the building. The bar owner glowered at Booth. "Hey man, don't chase my customers away."

Uncaring about the bar owner's irritation, Booth pulled his wallet from his jacket, removed a twenty dollar bill, walked over to the bar and slapped it down. "Here." Booth turned and marched back over to the table and sat down. "Boy that pisses me off. Just because you're the only woman customer in here that bag of shit assumed . . ."

She placed her hand on his hand to calm him down. "It's alright. Maybe he thought I was dressed provocatively and he misconstrued the situation. "

"Bullshit, Bones." Booth was still angry and he didn't want her to take responsibility for the situation. "It doesn't matter how you're dressed. No one has the right to treat you like that. What you wear is not an invitation to be harassed or to be propositioned and your dress in not inappropriate or provocative for God's sake. It's very nice. I like it."

Her hand clutched his hand tighter. "You know I can take care of myself. If he had been persistent I would have kicked him in the testicles to discourage him."

Amused, Booth laughed, the tension from him draining away. Removing his hand from her grasp, he retrieved his wedding ring from his pocket and placed it on his finger. "I wasn't sure if you wanted me to wear it or not."

Brennan picked up her glass and finished her wine. "Roxie didn't want you to wear it, but I'm glad you put it back on. It looks odd not to see it on your finger . . . Perhaps I played this game wrong. I thought it might be interesting if you picked me up from a bar we don't frequent, but it doesn't seem to have worked out like I planned."

They liked to dress up as Tony and Roxie and role play once in a while, but sometimes their plans didn't always work out like they expected. "Bones, you didn't do anything wrong. If that asshole hadn't bothered you my next move was going to be to ask you to go dancing with me. We can still do that. Max is babysitting all night."

"I would have said yes, in fact, I do say yes." Brennan picked her purse up from the floor. "We can go now if you'd like."

Pleased that Brennan was still willing to play their game, Booth grinned, stood up and spoke rather loudly. "So Roxie, you want to go dancing with me? I know this great club and we can dance all night if you're up for it."

Brennan stood up and placed her hand on Booth's arm. "Tony that is exactly what I would like to do. Of course, we shouldn't plan on dancing all night since I'd like to go home and make love to you too."

His eyes flashing with lust, Booth nodded his head. "A little dancing at the club and then home to dance our special dance. Just you and me, Baby. You got it Roxie."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

A/N: wax begins to melt at 99 F.


	25. Chapter 25

(After The Past in the Present)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was midnight and Booth was still awake. He lay in bed and stared at the dark ceiling above him worrying about Brennan and their baby. It had been thirty days since she'd driven away from the church and he still couldn't believe that had happened.

The sound of his phone ringing startled him and he flailed for his phone. Once he had it in his hand he answered it. "What!"

Silence caused Booth's irritation to rise. "Say something or I'm going to hang up." Still there was only silence and Booth was not in the mood for prank calls. "Asshole." Ending the call, he checked to see what the number was that the caller had used, but he didn't recognize it. "Jackass." His mood worse than ever, he tossed the phone on the nightstand, turned over onto his stomach and punched his pillow. Resting his head down on the pummeled pillow he stared at the bathroom door and hoped his family was safe.

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Another night and Booth was home alone drinking a beer and trying to watch a movie. Not even sure what exactly he was watching, he gamely tried to get interested in it. The phone called for his attention and Booth grabbed it up from the coffee table. "It's midnight. What the hell do you want?"

No one spoke and Booth was filled with fury. "Call me one more time you asshole and so help me God . . . quit calling me." He ended the call and glared at the Recents list on his phone to check on the number. Once more he didn't recognize it and almost blocked it. For a reason he couldn't quite explain he didn't and turned off his phone. "Probably some kid getting his jollies waking up people."

With no hope of getting a good night's sleep, he turned off the television, the lamp next to the couch and sat there in the dark. He hoped whoever the FBI had assigned to watch his house was as uncomfortable as he was.

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It was the weekend and he was having a bad Saturday night. It was midnight and he couldn't sleep. He had heard about a tornado in Ohio and he was worried about Brennan and Christine being caught up in it. He knew the odds were really high that they were there, but since he didn't know where they were, it made him feel sick with worry.

His phone rang. Glumly he answered the phone with his eyes riveted on The Weather Channel. "What?"

The silence was deafening, so Booth knew his crank caller was back. "There was a tornado out near Cleveland this afternoon . . . I don't know if my wife and baby are there and I'm worried. They're probably safe, but how would I know? I miss them." He heard the call end and grimly he laughed. "That'll teach you for calling me, Asshole."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next night his phone rang at midnight waking him from a fitful sleep. His hand found his phone on the nightstand and he answered. "It's midnight."

No sound on the other end and he knew his crank caller was there once more. "So anyway, I figure if my wife and baby were in the tornado and they got hurt or killed, it would have been mentioned on the news. They said no fatalities so I know they're safe . . . She's not really my wife, but I call her that because it sounds better than mate which is what she calls me . . . Of course she doesn't know I call her my wife. She might get mad at me if she did, but the hell with it. If she doesn't like it, she can come back home and yell at me about it." The call ended and he knew the caller was gone. "Call me again, idiot. I got more."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

A few days passed and Booth had managed to sleep better than he normally did. He was still a very unhappy man, but he wasn't exhausted which seemed to make his depression seem less prominent. The Phillies in LA, he was up late watching the game when his phone rang. Booth glanced at the clock and wasn't surprised to see it was midnight as he accepted the call. "I hope Bones . . . that's my wife . . . I hope she's eating properly and getting enough sleep. She's a workaholic. Used to be she'd work twelve hours without eating. Like to drove me nuts when I found out she was doing that. I had to make sure she ate, because no one else seemed to give a shit. That was before we became a couple. She's pretty good about eating now. I just don't want her to fall back on old habits . . . I miss her and my baby. They've been gone so long . . . She should have taken me with her. This not knowing where she is and if she and Christine are okay . . . I don't know . . . I just . . . I just want them back. I want them back."

The call ended and Booth shook his head. "You're a glutton for punishment that's for sure."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Another night and for once he was sound asleep when the phone rang. Groggily, he reached for his phone and answered it. "Booth."

Like most of his midnight calls, there was no sound on the other end.

"I wish you hadn't called me. I was dreaming about my Bones. We were . . . well we were making love and she was giggling because we were um . . . most people have never heard her giggle before. She's got a husky sexy kind of a laugh, but sometimes she has this cute giggle and it just makes me want to do whatever I did to cause it over and over. A lot of people think she's cold, but underneath it all, she's filled with love and compassion. She cares a lot about the important things, but she hides it most of the time. I think she does that to protect herself. She . . ."

The call ended abruptly and Booth placed his phone back on the nightstand. "You don't like the conversation, don't call me asshole."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Booth was disappointed that the phone calls at midnight stopped. He had been sleeping better since they'd started and he knew it was because he was using those calls to get things off of his chest. A week went by and he was up late reading one of Brennan's books. He had a dictionary open next to the book, so he could look up words that were unfamiliar to him. The phone rang and Booth realized that it was midnight. "Booth."

Since no one answered, Booth closed the book and talked. "I couldn't sleep tonight. Since I'm working a desk job and not allowed to take any cases I'm just so bored. I know they have some cases open that I could help with, but God forbid they let me work them. Those mother fuckers are cutting off their noses to spite their faces. If I ever get my job back, I'm going to have to go back over those cases and raise hell with some of the agents. Some of them aren't following protocol. When Caroline finds out . . . yeah, if she gets her job back then God help those idiots . . . anyway, I repainted the guest bathroom downstairs. When we painted it, Bones liked a paint color she called sea green. I think it's a bilious color and I finally changed the color to something I like."

Booth sipped some of the beer from the bottle sitting next to the dictionary. "Bilious means I want to throw up when I see it. Don't get me wrong, she's got great taste, but even someone like her can make a mistake. She'll probably complain when she gets home, but that's okay. I won't mind."

The call ended and Booth laughed. "I hope you're an FBI Agent. If Caroline comes back and she has to try cases that are being screwed up by you idiots . . . well don't come crying to me about it."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

A week passed and Booth was once more awakened by his midnight caller. "So my little girl is probably talking now. I wonder if she remembers me. I hope she does. I'm . . . I really miss her and my Bones . . . I . . . anyway, I bet her first word was Daddy or maybe Mommy since I'm not there with her. Of course her first word could be tibia or femur. She's a smart kid, just like her Dad."

Booth sighed. "I missed a bunch of firsts with my son Parker. I never lived with him, so I missed out on his first words and the first time he walked and I probably won't get to see my baby girl's first whatever's either. I guess I'm not that great of a father . . . I've always tried to be a good Dad, but . . . anyway, the Phillies won tonight, so I guess that's a plus in my column."

He realized that the call had ended. "I hope you get to go home every night and see your kid and mate or spouse or whatever."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Alone, Booth sat in the living room and stared at the fireplace. He was lonely and bored and afraid that it would always be like that. It had been a week since his last midnight call and he was beginning to think that caller had abandoned him just like Brennan had. No sooner had those thoughts formed and the phone rang. Midnight. "It's Booth."

Silence his answer, Booth smiled. "You ever have one of those days where things just fall into place? I had one of those days. I found out where an enemy of mine is working and like the son of a bitch that I am, I went over there and put the fear of God into him. Don't worry, I didn't touch the mother fucker. I just looked at him and that's all it took. Of course he complained to my supervisor, but I don't give a shit. He was at the library and I have a right to go to the library."

His laugh low and menacing, Booth nodded his head. "People seem to forget who and what I am. I'm a boy born on the wrong side of the tracks in Philly. I was taught how to be tough by my old man and the Army taught me to give no quarter when necessary. Not very many people really know who I am and what I'm capable of. They should, but they really don't . . . well except for Bones. She knows. She knows me and she understands me. She tells me I'm a good man all the time, but she and I both know that's not true. She just tells me I'm a good man to help me out when I'm worried I've pushed something too far and I do push things really far sometimes. It doesn't matter if I'm a good man as long as I do the right thing and I don't piss off God. Anyway, I had a good day."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Brennan and Christine were home and he wasn't alone anymore. Things were tense between them, but he didn't care. His Bones and Christine were home and he was happy. He didn't get any more midnight phone calls from the silent caller, but that was alright. He was sure that they had just been calls from one of the FBI Agents assigned to check up on him. At first, the calls had been an irritation to him, but later he had felt they allowed him to connect to Brennan by being able to talk about her. He'd been under surveillance while Brennan had been gone and he'd stayed away from his friends to keep the FBI off of their backs. Brennan was home now and he wasn't alone anymore. He could sleep because he knew his family was safe. He never thought he'd be grateful to a crank caller, but sometimes life was weird like that.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	26. Chapter 26

This is a sequel for chapter 25.

(Between seasons 7 and 8)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Thirty days and she was still evading a Federal arrest warrant. The ridiculousness of the situation made her so angry and so afraid. She worried about the possibility of being arrested far from home. Would Pelant be able to arrange for her murder no matter where she was? It was a question that kept her moving from town to town, never staying longer than two weeks.

She had broken one of her father's rules that day about how to keep safe, but she didn't have a choice. Angela had sent a message using their flower code and if Brennan had read the code right, Booth was in a bad way. She didn't know how or why, but she needed to check on him.

At midnight, she called him using a cheap phone she had bought at a convenience store. She'd bought 60 minutes, but she only planned to use it for a minute or two. Brennan had no intention of being traced by the FBI or anyone else.

The phone rang and finally he answered. _"What!"_

He sounded so angry and that worried her. Unable to say anything just in case his phone calls were being monitored. She remained silent.

 _"_ _Say something or I'm going to hang up."_ His voice was so strong and filled with fury and Brennan wanted to respond so badly, but she knew she couldn't.

 _"_ _Asshole."_

The call was too short, but he'd ended the call and she would not call him back. "He's so angry and I understand why. I do. I just wish I could help him."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

She let a week pass by before she called Booth again. She had bought another cheap phone and 60 minutes. She was smart enough to not use the same phone more than once. She had no intention of making it easier for the law or for Pelant to find her. She waited until it was midnight and called her mate.

 _"_ _It's midnight."_ He'd answered the phone fairly quickly, so she knew she hadn't wakened him. Still no words could be spoken by her. She couldn't jeopardize Booth's freedom.

 _"_ _Call me one more time you asshole and so help me God . . . quit calling me!"_ He was still filled with rage and Brennan knew it. He had ended the call quicker than she had hoped, but she knew that she couldn't call him back. At least not right now.

"Is he angry with me?" She knew that wasn't a very clever question "Of course he is . . . I'm sorry, Booth. I'm so sorry." She felt a tear escape her lashes and that made her angry. "I'm doing what I have to do. I have no choice. He'll be fine. He's strong."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 _"_ _What?"_ He sounded something other than angry this time when she called him, but she didn't know what it was. _"There was a tornado out near Cleveland this afternoon . . . I don't know if my wife and baby are there and I'm worried. They're probably safe, but how would I know? I miss them."_

She wanted to tell him that she and Christine were alright, but she couldn't. It crushed her that he was worrying about them unnecessarily. If only she could tell him they were fine. If only she knew if his calls weren't being monitored, but she was certain they were. He was upset and she was very worried about him. After she ended the call, she looked at her sleeping child and sighed. "I'll call your Daddy back tomorrow and check on him."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

She had worked hard at the diner all day and she was so tired, but she needed to check on Booth and make sure he wasn't still upset. If he was, she wasn't sure what she would do about it, but she would think of something.

 _"_ _It's midnight."_ It had taken him a few seconds to answer the phone, so she assumed she had woken him up. She took that as a sign of encouragement. At least he was sleeping.

 _"_ _So anyway, I figure if my wife and baby were in the tornado and they got hurt or killed, it would have been mentioned on the news. They said no fatalities so I know they're safe . . . She's not really my wife, but I call her that because it sounds better than mate which is what she calls me . . . Of course she doesn't know I call her my wife. She might get mad at me if she did, but the hell with it. If she doesn't like it, she can come back home and yell at me about it."_

He was in a better mood and that helped her end the call. "So he calls me his wife, does he? I suppose it doesn't matter if I don't officially know about it. Still, I don't believe in marriage and he knows that . . . I wish I was at home so I could fuss at him." The thought of them bickering over something so inane made her cry. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go home to Booth and she couldn't.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Her job at the diner was coming to an end. Max had told her that it was time to move on and she was ready to do so. She liked the short order cook at the diner and he had taught her how to cook pancakes and French toast, but he had asked her out on a date and Max had become alarmed.

Brennan was lonely and she wanted to hear Booth's voice, so she called him that night. " _I hope Bones . . . that's my wife . . . I hope she's eating properly and getting enough sleep. She's a workaholic. Used to be she'd work twelve hours without eating. Like to drove me nuts when I found out she was doing that. I had to make sure she ate, because no one else seemed to give a shit. That was before we became a couple. She's pretty good about eating now. I just don't want her to fall back on old habits . . . I miss her and my baby. They've been gone so long . . . She should have taken me with her. This not knowing where she is and if she and Christine are okay . . . I don't know . . . I just . . . I just want them back. I want them back."_

She hated to end the call, but she had been on longer than she had meant to. She had listened to him and his words had brought back memories of late nights and boxes of Thai and Chinese food delivered by her partner to her office or to her apartment. Brennan felt so sad and willing to risk waking her child, she picked her up from where she was sleeping and held her in her arms. "He sounded so sad, Christine. He sounded like he was . . . I don't know really. I miss him and his insistence that I eat more often. He can be so pushy when he thinks he's right . . . I miss that . . . He cares about me and that's his way of showing it. I know that."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It had taken him so long to answer the phone that she had actually started to panic. She knew he wasn't working any cases and he was home every evening. Booth never seemed to go anywhere and she was worried about his health. Finally he answered the phone and she realized that he'd been asleep. That was good, wasn't it?

 _"I wish you hadn't called me. I was dreaming about my Bones. We were . . . well we were making love and she was giggling because we were um . . . most people have never heard her giggle before. She's got a husky sexy kind of a laugh, but sometimes she has this cute giggle and it just makes me want to do whatever I did to cause it over and over. A lot of people think she's cold, but underneath it all, she's filled with love and compassion. She cares a lot about the important things, but she hides it most of the time. I think she does that to protect herself. She . ._ ."

She couldn't listen to him any more. She wanted to be with him so badly. To feel his hands on her body. To make love to him. This separation was horrible and she didn't know when it would be over. "I just want to go home. I have to find a way to go home. Angela and Hodgins need my help and I'm going to find a way to help them."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

With a lot of research, Brennan thought that she was onto something that might help her get home. Max was away helping her to verify some things, but if she was right, she might have found a way to go home and avoid being arrested. She hadn't called Booth for a little over a week and she knew she needed to check on him. After she bought a cheap phone, she waited until midnight to make her call.

" _Booth."_ She knew he was awake by the tone of his voice and how quickly he had answered the phone. She hoped he was alright.

" _I couldn't sleep tonight. Since I'm working a desk job and not allowed to take any cases I'm just so bored. I know they have some cases open that I could help with, but God forbid they let me work them. Those mother fuckers are cutting off their noses to spite their faces. If I ever get my job back, I'm going to have to go back over those cases and raise hell with some of the agents. Some of them aren't following protocol. When Caroline finds out . . . yeah, if she gets her job back then God help those idiots . . . anyway, I repainted the guest bathroom downstairs. When we painted it, Bones liked a paint color she called sea green. I think it's a bilious color and I finally changed the color to something I like."_

He paused and she knew she should hang up, but she was hungry for the sound of his voice and decided a minute more would be alright. " _Bilious means I want to throw up when I see it. Don't get me wrong, she's got great taste, but even someone like her can make a mistake. She'll probably complain when she gets home, but that's okay. I won't mind."_

She ended the call and removed the sim card from the phone. With a smile, Brennan turned to look at her sleeping toddler. "I told Angela that Booth would repaint the downstairs bathroom as soon as he could find a good excuse." Her smile disappeared and she sighed. "I guess I'm not there to stop him so that's the good excuse he needed."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Her research was paying off and she was hopeful that she could bring it to the attention of her friends as soon as possible. She and Max still had a few things to check into before she could start the next phase of her quest and it was a quest. She was hopeful that this was going to get her home and though Max thought it was dangerous, she didn't care.

Another week had passed by and Brennan was now confident that she would be home soon. If only she could tell Booth. She bought another phone and thought about how their ordeal was almost over.

 _"Booth."_ It had taken a while for him to answer his phone and he sounded groggy when he answered. She was glad that he was getting some sleep.

 _"So my little girl is probably talking now. I wonder if she remembers me. I hope she does. I'm . . . I really miss her and my Bones . . . I . . . anyway, I bet her first word was Daddy or maybe Mommy since I'm not there with her. Of course her first word could be tibia or femur. She's a smart kid, just like her Dad."_

She heard him sigh. _"I missed a bunch of firsts with my son Parker. I never lived with him, so I missed out on his first words and the first time he walked and I probably won't get to see my baby girl's first whatever's either. I guess I'm not that great of a father . . . I've always tried to be a good Dad, but . . . anyway, the Phillies won tonight, so I guess that's a plus in my column."_

His words had almost crushed her and she had to end the call before she said anything. Tears slid down her cheeks and she did nothing to stop them. Miserable, she stared at her sleeping child and felt a deep sense of guilt for taking Christine away from Booth. She had promised him that she would never do that. Rebecca had hurt Booth many times and moving to England had been the ultimate betrayal and now she'd done the same thing. Her tears fell faster and she started to sob. "I'm so sorry, Booth. I'm so sorry."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

She was feeling triumphant. Her plan was coming to fruition and she knew she would be home soon. Brennan knew she shouldn't risk it, but she had to call and make sure Booth was fine. It had been a week and she just wanted to hear his voice one more time before she started her plan in motion. Once it started, there would be no stopping it.

 _"_ _It's Booth."_ She knew he was awake and when she got home, she really needed to talk to him about the benefits of rest and sleep.

 _"You ever have one of those days where things just fall into place? I had one of those days. I found out where an enemy of mine is working and like the son of a bitch that I am, I went over there and put the fear of God into him. Don't worry, I didn't touch the mother fucker. I just looked at him and that's all it took. Of course he complained to my supervisor, but I don't give a shit. He was at the library and I have a right to go to the library."_

His laugh was low and menacing and it sent a chill down her spine. She wasn't afraid of Booth, but she knew he was capable of great violence. " _People seem to forget who and what I am. I'm a boy born on the wrong side of the tracks in Philly. I was taught how to be tough by my old man and the Army taught me to give no quarter when necessary. Not very many people really know who I am and what I'm capable of. They should, but they really don't . . . well except for Bones. She knows. She knows me and she understands me. She tells me I'm a good man all the time, but she and I both know that's not true. She just tells me I'm a good man to help me out when I'm worried I've pushed something too far and I do push things really far sometimes. It doesn't matter if I'm a good man as long as I do the right thing and I don't piss off God. Anyway, I had a good day."_

Her hands were trembling when she ended the call. Booth was on edge and she was afraid for him. He was a good man, **is** a good man and she needed to return home as soon as possible. Whatever he was planning to do sounded ominous and she couldn't let him ruin his life. She would tell Max to set everything in motion in the morning. Booth needed her and she would get to him as soon as possible. There was no one there to remind him about how good a man he really is. "This had gone on long enough."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Brennan was finally home and she was so grateful that it had worked out like it had. It was terrible that Pelant had found a way to get out of custody, but she and Booth were working on that. So were her friends at the Jeffersonian. Sooner or later, Pelant would make a mistake and when he did, he would pay for all of the terrible things that he had done.

Their situation was tense between them and Brennan had fears, but she was home and she would work through them. It might take time, but she was home and she was not leaving again. She needed Booth as much as he needed her. He was her life no matter how hard she fought that and her happiness was contingent on his happiness. She had never asked for that, but it was the reality of the situation and she was a pragmatist. They might argue and fight, but they belonged together, forever and always. They could never get those months back while they were separated, but they had a future now that she had been proven innocent of Ethan Sawyer's murder. She was home and she was with Booth.

She didn't mention the phone calls to Booth or anyone else. She wasn't sure he would appreciate the fact that she had called him, but wouldn't speak to him while she was gone. Things were getting better between them, so why stir the pan or pot or whatever you stirred to cause a mess. _Why are sayings so ambiquous?_

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. I hope you liked it.


	27. Chapter 27

(The Lady on the List)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Working on their invitation list for their upcoming wedding, Booth tapped the end of his pencil on the table while he studied the names he'd written down so far. "Want to invite Sully to our wedding?"

Now normally Sully would have been the last person he wanted around his Bones, but they were engaged to be married and he knew Brennan loved him and only him when it came to alpha males. "We haven't seen him in a long time, but it might be nice to have him there for our big day."

Surprised that Booth would even think about inviting her former lover to their wedding, Brennan turned and looked at him, trying to decide if he was serious or not.

"What?" Booth knew she was confused, but he wanted to show her that he could be comfortable around her former lovers and that he wasn't as jealous as she thought he was. "He's water under the bridge. I don't care if he's at our wedding." _Besides it might be nice to rub his nose in my happiness._

"Well, I suppose we could, but I thought we were trying to keep our list as small as possible." Brennan stared at Booth and saw the change in him immediately. "I think it would be better to leave him off the list. The church will hold only so many people and it seems like you've invited almost half of the people that work at the Hoover and Metro."

Surprised at himself, Booth felt a wave of relief move through him and realized that he hadn't really wanted Sully there after all. Who was he kidding? He didn't want any of her former lovers anywhere near them. It wasn't as he felt she would be attracted to them again, he was certain of that. _Hell, let's face it. Until that ring is on her finger you're not going to feel safe. She has said in the past that monogamy wasn't natural . . . Damn it! What's the matter with you? She is not going to dump your ass, Booth. Get a grip. "_ Okay, it's up to you. _"_ Booth stood up, leaned over the table and kissed her. "I love you, Bones. I want this wedding to be perfect for you. You deserve it."

"I don't need a perfect wedding Booth." Brennan sighed. _He really wants this wedding and I will try to make it as close to perfection that I can._

After he sat back down, Booth read through the list and marked a line through a few names. "You're right. I have too many from Metro in this list. I will add Sheriff Abrams though."

"Sheriff Abrams?" Shocked, Brennan stared at Booth. "Isn't he the Sheriff that arrested Hodgins and Angela two and half years ago?"

Amused, Booth smiled at Brennan. "Yeah, but you gotta admit because of him, those two got married."

Brennan slowly shook her head and chuckled. "You just want to play a joke on Hodgins don't you?"

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe . . . He deserves a little payback for shooting me with that snot booby trap of his. He ruined a perfectly good suit."

"It wasn't snot, Booth." Brennan shuddered. That thought was rather off putting. "It was gelatin fired by CO2. You shouldn't have stood in front of it."

His eyes mere slits, Booth glared at his fiancé. "Cam had no business opening that door . . . Hodgins needs payback and Sheriff Abrams is invited to our wedding."

"Alright." Brennan decided to humor him. Turning back towards her PC, Brennan saved the file and closed the lid on her lap top. "Booth, when you told me to go with Sully, did you mean it?"

"What?" Surprised, Booth looked up from his list. "Why are you asking me that now?"

Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know? You mentioned Sully and I thought about how you and Angela wanted me to go with him . . . Did you mean it? Did you want me to go with him?"

His mind racing, Booth averted his gaze and tried to think of how to answer the question. He didn't want to tell her a lie, but he didn't know how she was going to react to the complete truth either. Her silence pressing on him, he knew she expected an answer.

"Yes I did." Booth cleared his throat and turned to look at Brennan. Her face had an odd expression on it and he knew he'd better expand on what he'd said. "You seemed to love Sully and I wanted you to be happy . . . even if it was bad for me."

Not sure what he was trying to say to her, Brennan crossed her arms against her breasts. "I don't know what that means."

Booth nodded his head. "Yeah . . . um, at the time we were friends . . . really good friends, but you and I . . . you and Sully were in love and I would never have stood in your way to be happy. You deserved to be happy and Angela thought you should go and I thought . . . well, I thought maybe I didn't have a right to ask you to stay. What kind of friend would I have been to be so selfish that I would have stood between you and happiness?"

"I don't think I was in love with Sully." Her words were so soft, Booth had to strain to hear them. Brennan sighed. "You know, at the time, I didn't believe in love. I . . . I felt an attachment to Sully, but I felt an attachment to you too. I weighed those feelings and I felt my attachment to you was stronger than my attachment to Sully." Brennan glanced at Booth and placed her hand over his hand. "There was also the fact that he was asking me to give up my life's work, something that I loved for something that he might or might not love. There was no compromise. Give up my work and go with him or he would go without me . . . I thought that if that was love, then I didn't really want any part of it. Love is selfish or at least I thought so at the time."

Her explanation was sad and sincere and Booth felt like punching Sully in the nose as hard as he could. Booth shook his head, turned his hand over and gripped her hand. "I'm sorry Bones. I never thought about it that way. I wasn't really sure why you let him go and I was too afraid to ask . . . I thought you'd stayed because of me, but Gordon Gordon said it wasn't true and . . ."

"It was true." Brennan interrupted him. "I stayed because I chose my attachment to you over my attachment to Sully. If I'm going to be completely truthful . . . I may have stayed because I thought I loved you. I knew you didn't love me at the time, but that didn't matter. You were my family, Booth. You and Angela and Hodgins were my family. Why should I walk away from the only family I had?"

Stunned, Booth felt a tightness in his chest. "That damn line. I am so sorry, Bones. I should have never have drawn that line between us. I was just upset about Cam and I was afraid that someday I was going to get you killed if I got too close to you and . . . it was just a huge mistake. I'm sorry."

Brennan stood up, her hand still holding on to her fiancé's hand. "Booth, that's the past. We can't change the past, so please don't apologize."

Grateful to have someone like Brennan in his life, Booth stood up and placed his arms around her. "I'm the luckiest man around, Bones. I'll try to be the man you need me to be, the husband you need me to be."

"I know you will." Brennan smiled and kissed him. "Let's not invite any former lovers to our wedding."

"Yeah, good idea. Bones." Booth smiled. "When you're right, you're absolutely right."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	28. Chapter 28

(Season 11)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Booth walked out the break room, coffee in one hand and a chocolate chip cookie in the other. As he bit into his cookie, he turned the corner and walked into the bullpen only to find his three most junior agents standing just inside the room, their backs toward him. Each agent held a cup of coffee and cookie in each hand.

"Did you hear what happened at the crime scene this morning?" Special Agent Ross Brantner laughed. "One of the techs removed a bone from the crime scene before Dr. Brennan and Dr. Saroyan saw it and Dr. Brennan yelled at the tech. Made him cry I heard."

"What a vindictive bitch." Special Agent Rodney Baker chuckled. "It's really amazing. I heard the only agent that will work with her is Booth. He's the head of Major Crimes. It's not his job to babysit Dr. Brennan."

"Well, they're married, so I suspect he doesn't have a choice." Special Agent Marie Jones shook her head. "Poor guy."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Booth was livid. In fact he was so filled with rage his face was red, his gaze very menacing.

Startled, all three agents whipped around, two of them sloshing hot coffee on their hands. The sight of their department supervisor behind them with the look of cold menace on his face made all three wish they were somewhere else.

Agent Baker tried to answer the question. "Agent Booth . . . we . . ."

After setting his cup and cookie down on a nearby desk, Booth moved closer to the trio. "Shut up." Flexing his hands, Booth fought to control his temper. Coldly he glanced at each agent and nodded his head. "Let me tell you about Dr. Brennan. She's the best forensic anthropologist in the world, not just this country, but the world. Because of her, the FBI has closed cases that were almost impossible to solve."

Booth leaned on the desk and watched as each agent shifted their feet. He knew they wanted to flee. "She's a certifiable genius. She speaks eight languages, two of which you idiots probably have never heard of before. She's a polymath for God's sake . . . We have rules and those rules are in place to help the prosecutor do his or her job. That tech this morning made a huge mistake. We do not move evidence until our Jeffersonian team looks at it first and it's documented. We cannot be sloppy about our jobs. If we don't do our jobs right, murderers could go free."

He knew these people were young and just starting their careers, but he needed them to realize just how serious their jobs were. "I work with Dr. Brennan because she only works with the best and I am the best around here." He saw a smirk on Agent Brantner's face and moved away from the desk so that he was mere inches from the agent. "You think I'm joking or maybe you think I'm just a cocky son-of-a-bitch? . . . which is it?"

The anger rolling off Booth was palpable and Agent Brantner was suddenly afraid. "Neither sir. I'm sorry."

Aubrey entered the room and knew that there were three agents being handed their heads. Interested, he stood in the doorway and watched.

"This department has the highest solve rate on the east coast." Booth stepped back and leaned against the desk again. "We couldn't have done it without Dr. Brennan and her team at the Jeffersonian. Don't get me wrong. Our FBI forensic team is top notch, but they still need the Jeffersonian to help them out because everyone at the Jeffersonian has years of experience and know what they're looking for when we have tough cases handed to us."

Calmer now, Booth pointed at the cookies each agent was holding. "You got those cookies from the break room. Those cookies were made by my wife, Dr. Brennan. She made the kids some cookies last night and she thought it would be nice for me to bring some to work for you guys. She's like that. She does kind things like that all the time because she wants to, not because she has too. She works her ass off and she still finds time to do nice things for our kids and for you unappreciative sons-of-bitches . . . She's not a vindictive bitch." Booth glared at Agent Baker. "Yeah I heard that."

His cheeks now a scarlet red, Baker swallowed the lump in his throat. "Um, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"You got that right." Booth picked up his cookie and cup of coffee and continued to stare at his agents. "This had better be the last time I ever hear you say anything bad about Dr. Brennan. The next time, I just may transfer your asses to Fargo, North Dakota or someplace colder . . . We are damn lucky to have Dr. Brennan working with us. We will all follow proper procedures when out in the field and you will show her and everyone else from the Jeffersonian respect. They damn well have earned it. Am I clear?"

All three agents quickly nodded their heads. "Yes Sir."

His face still a menacing mask, Booth said two words which caused the agents to race from the room. "Get out!"

Once the room was clear of the younger agents, Agent Martinez chuckled and called out to his supervisor from his desk across the bullpen. "Wow, Booth. Those kids are going to be afraid to sneeze around Dr. Brennan from now on."

"Good." Booth growled. "I won't put up with anymore shit from them or anyone else around here. This is the FBI and that means decorum and proper respect where it's due."

Agent Martinez nodded his head. "They'll learn."

Aubrey decided it was time to step into the conversation. "They better. Dr. B will eat them alive if they fool with her."

His eyes gleaming, Booth turned to look at his friend. "Ain't that the truth? I hope they're careful around Bones. I warned them and that's all I can do."

"Well, I think we've all see the movie Fargo." Aubrey glanced at Booth's cookie. "I've never been there and I don't think I'd like it. I could be wrong, but all that snow." The agent shivered. "Brrr." His tongue peeking out of his lips. Aubrey pointed over his shoulder. "You said there are cookies in the breakroom?"

Martinez stood up and walked rapidly across the room. "Shit Aubrey, let me get a cookie first before you inhale the rest of them." The agent hurried out of the room and down the hallway.

Booth laughed and sipped his coffee. "You better hurry Aubrey. There were only three cookies left when I picked up this one."

In a state of panic, Aubrey pivoted and raced towards the break room. "Martinez, do not take all the cookies."

Booth could hear the faint reply from the break room and laughed. "Too late."

Oooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	29. Chapter 29

(Season 11)

A/N: I had a couple of requests to write a sequel to chapter 28. I hope you like it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooo

The odor coming from the crime scene was a real stomach turner. Agent Ross Brantner had been involved in a few cases, but this was his first suspected murder and his very first introduction to a body that had been dumped in woods and left to rot. What the animals hadn't eaten had slowly melted in the stifling hot air and that just made Brantner's stomach roll with each breath he took.

Agent Booth was introducing his new agents to the business of murder and all the sights and sounds that went with it before assigning them each to a new partner. Brantner was the last of the three new agents to go out in the field to a murder with Booth and he wasn't sure the head of Major Crimes hadn't waited until there was a really very gross body available to impress him with.

Far from impressed, Brantner was horrified and kept swallowing while he stood next to Booth who was conferring with his wife, Dr. Temperance Brennan. "What have we got Bones?" Booth held a few index cards in his hand, a pen poised over them to write.

Carefully studying what was left of the body, Brennan shifted her feet and squatted closer to the remains. "It would appear that the victim is female, approximately forty years old, of Asian descent."

Busy collecting whatever insects, maggots and other wild life currently crawled about on the remains, Hodgins stopped and with his gloved finger pointed at a medical bracelet on the victim's wrist. "She was diabetic. Maybe she was out for a walk and suffered from hypoglycemia."

Moving aside the rags covering the victim's lower stomach, Brennan turned her head to look at Booth. "She didn't have an insulin pump. We'll have to have the remains brought back to the Lab so I can determine cause of death."

After jotting down a few quick notes, Booth looked around at the FBI techs. They were all busy searching for whatever remains that the local fauna had dragged away from the victim.

Curious, Agent Brantner spoke up and asked a question. "Can you guess how long the victim has been dead?"

His eyes closed, Booth shook his head, sighed and waited for Brennan's response.

Irritated, Brennan turned to look at the younger agent and fixed her deep blue eyes on the man. "We are not paid to guess, Agent Brantner. We will go over the evidence and use that evidence to give a precise time of death. In the field, we can give an educated answer using the environment and insect activity, but that is not an official date and time. We will have to wait until numerous tests have been run back at the lab for that."

Feeling a little sorry for the man, Hodgins looked up and smiled. "I'd say from the level of predation that the victim probably died four days ago. Of course, we'll know for sure once we get her back to the Lab."

His cheeks a flaming red, Brantner gave a curt nod and glanced away from Brennan. "Thank you."

"Is there a chance this was a murder, Bones?" Booth ignored the discomfort of his junior agent and waited to see what she said.

Brennan was certain that the condition of the body wouldn't allow her to answer the question. "There's too much flesh and the body has been damaged from animal predation. We'll have to wait until we get back to the Lab."

He had expected the answer, so he let it go. "Right. Well, I'm going back to the Hoover. I have a meeting in a couple of hours that I can't get out of. Agent Brantner will remain with you and Hodgins. I'd appreciate it if you'd bring him back to town with you."

His jaw clenched, Brantner watched Booth place his index cards in his jacket pocket and glance around the field. "Brantner, you stay here and assist Dr. Brennan." With that, Booth pivoted and strode away from the crime scene. Unable to do anything about it, the younger agent pulled out a small notebook from his jacket pocket and made a few notes. Determined to be professional, he stood where he was and waited to see if he was going to be further humiliated by the anthropologist.

Ignoring the agent like she ignored most of the agents that worked with her, Brennan continued to study the remains while Hodgins collected as much of the living wild life eating away at the remains as possible. After moving a piece of the shirt aside, Hodgins pointed at a shard of wood sticking out of the body. "Dr. B, look at this."

Carefully, Brennan shifted her feet and leaned over the body as she examined what Hodgins had found. "Excellent work, Dr. Hodgins. We will have to be careful not to disturb that area of the body when we move it."

Smugly, Agent Brantner looked on and felt compelled to comment. "So she was murdered after all."

Her eyes on the body, Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "I have no way of knowing that at this time. It might be part of a murder weapon and it might be the results of her falling on whatever this is. I'll have to examine it and have the area of the body x-rayed. To assume murder at this point would be leaping over the pistol."

Confused, Brantner shook his head. "What?"

Amused, Hodgins continued his search for insects. "It's jumping the gun, Dr. B, but that was real close. It's derived from track and field sports. It refers to a false start, leaving the starting line before the starting pistol is fired."

"Thank you." Brennan struggled with idioms, but she wasn't afraid to try to use them. "That makes sense."

Staring at Brennan like she was an alien from another planet, Brantner shook his head. "What the hell would jumping over a pistol even mean?"

Eyes glinting, Hodgins stood up and glared at the younger man. "Are you deliberately trying to be an asshole?"

Outraged, Brantner clenched his jaw and his nostrils flared. "I asked a question, how is that being an asshole?"

"That will do Dr. Hodgins." Brennan sensed that Agent Brantner didn't like her, but she didn't really care. "Please continue to do your job. We should be ready to move the body in about an hour or so." As Hodgins squatted down next to the body, Brennan turned her attention on the young agent. "Only a fool thinks they know everything. I am not a fool and I don't claim to know everything. Some idioms don't make sense to me until their origin is explained to me. That is called learning. Learning new things helps you achieve growth, be it in your field of expertise or just for personal growth."

Embarrassed, Brantner shook his head. "Don't put words in my mouth. I didn't understand what you said."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "Perhaps you should check with the other techs to see if they are close to finding the missing parts of this body. Remind them to collect any excrement they find."

Cleary being dismissed, Brantner stepped away from the body and noticed that a few of the techs had stopped what they were doing and were watching him. Assuming that they were his ally, the younger agent glanced at Brennan and rolled his eyes. Much to his dismay that gesture earned him several scowls. As he moved closer to Marcus Geier, he noticed the man glaring at him. "What?"

"I don't know what your problem is, but try not to upset Dr. Brennan." Marcus continued to glare at the younger agent. "She's the best that there is and she deserves respect."

"Respect?" Outraged, Brantner crossed his arms against his chest. "What about being respectful to us?"

Disgusted, Marcus squatted down next to a chunk of masticated flesh and placed it in an evidence bag. "Respect has to be earned and Dr. Brennan does respect me and my people. She's learned to trust us and we do our best work to keep that trust."

Unable to fathom Marcus, Brantner sighed deeply. "She acts like a damned queen."

A younger tech moved closer and spoke with a lowered voice, matching the two men. "Why shouldn't she? She's the best forensic anthropologist in the world. She's earned more awards and honors than anyone in her field. She makes the FBI and therefore us, look like damned geniuses to the general public. Our solve rate if very high because of her and Agent Booth. You might want to shut up and learn something."

Marcus snickered and moved to look for more body parts. Brantner shook his head and left the field. He decided to stand in the tree line and just observe. Everyone seemed to be pissed at him and he didn't appreciate it one bit.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The body turned over to the techs to be transported back to the Jeffersonian, Brennan, Hodgins and Agent Brantner started to make the trip back to the District in Brennan's car. Sitting in the back seat of the Ford Fusion, the younger agent checked his phone for emails and his twitter account to see if any of his friends were doing anything interesting.

As they got closer to Washington D.C., Brennan was startled when someone ahead on the road crossed the median and headed right for her. With not a lot of room to maneuver, she hugged the shoulder of the road, flashed her lights and honked her horn. At the last minute the other driver over corrected, moved back across the road to his side of the road and into the woods where the car hit a tree. Quickly stopping, Brennan backed up her car until it was parallel to the wreck. Hodgins got out his phone and called 911 while Brantner waited for the car to stop.

Once the car was stopped, Brennan raced from the car and across the road. Able to open the door, it squealed on its hinges. The front of the car smoldering, Brennan with the help of Hodgins, unbuckled the driver from his seat belt and carefully removed him from the car. Agent Brantner moved closer and helped move the young man further away from the now burning car and they laid the man on the ground. Brennan removed her jacket and placed it under the victim's head. "We've contacted emergency response. Help is on the way."

Frightened the young man felt a wetness on his face and tried to touch it. Brennan smiled and grasped his hand in her hand. "What's your name?"

"Tommy . . . Tommy Jackson." The young man felt cold, but he didn't feel any pain. "Please call my mother. I'm late. She's going . . . she's going to be mad at me. I'm late and I wrecked her car." Tommy started to cry. "I don't know what happened . . . I don't know what happened."

Brennan brushed his wavy black hair away from his eyes and clasped his hand harder. "She won't be angry with you Tommy. She loves you. She'll just be happy to see you. You'll see."

As they talked the blood on Tommy's shirt got darker and seemed to spread quickly. "Tommy, I need to look at your chest and stomach. Is that okay?"

Numbly, Tommy nodded his head.

Pulling his shirt aside, Brennan saw he had substantial chest trauma and was certain that she couldn't do anything to help him. With a quick glance towards Hodgins who walked away to make another call to 911, Brennan grasped the young man's hand once more. "You're going to be fine, Tommy. Really you don't have anything to worry about. You'll get to see your mother before you know it."

Ross Brantner knew she was lying and he felt sick that he couldn't help the young man.

His head feeling dizzy, almost light headed. Tommy looked at Brennan and swallowed. "Mom, I am so sorry I totaled your car. Don't be mad at me . . . please."

Her voice soft, her eyes filled with tears, Brennan kissed the younger man's cheek. "I forgive you Tommy. It's just a car. You are much more important to me than a car. I love you Tommy."

So glad to see his mother, Tommy smiled. "Thanks Mom. I'm sorry I was late . . . I love . . ." His breathing stopped and they knew the young man had died.

Tears flowing down her cheeks, Brennan let them as she continued to hold Tommy's hand. A few minutes later, first a Sheriff's deputy and then an ambulance stopped on the road and took over the situation. Free to leave, Brennan walked over to her car and got in to the passenger's side. "Dr. Hodgins I would appreciate it if you would drive."

Hodgins knew that his friend was grieving and he was barely under control of himself. "Sure I will."

Affected by what he had seen, Brantner quietly entered the back seat and remained silent for the rest of the ride back to the city.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

The next day, Rodney Baker met Ross Brantner in the break room and laughed. "So how'd it go with the ice queen yesterday?"

Furious, Brantner crowded his friend against the snack machine. "You shut the fuck up. She deserves respect and you damn well better give it to her, at least around me."

Surprised, Baker pushed Brantner away. "What the hell got into you?"

"Me?" Agent Brantner stepped back and growled. "Dr. Brennan . . . Dr. Brennan . . . aw hell. Some guy was in a car wreck yesterday and she tried to help him. I've never seen anything like it. The boy died, but she was so kind . . . so kind. Just show proper respect." A little too emotional, Brantner pivoted and stalked out of the room and down the hallway to the restroom. Once there he leaned on the sink, looked into the mirror and shook his head.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	30. Chapter 30

(The Brother in the Basement)

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

His joke was terrible, but it made her laugh. The last few days had been fraught with worry and though he was barely awake he was joking with her. "Booth, I never gave up looking for you. I knew you were fighting to stay alive and all we had to do was find you."

"That's all." Booth smiled at her. He was weak from loss of blood, but he knew that if he had any strength at all he would pull her onto the bed and kiss her hard and long. Unfortunately he felt as a weak as a kitten, so that wasn't going to happen. "Well I've seen you and your squints perform miracles before, so I wasn't surprised when I walked up those steps and I found you. Believe me for a while I didn't think that was going to happen though."

"I had faith that you would find a way to stop the bleeding although using silver nitrate wasn't something I expected you to use." Brennan knew her husband was tough, but this was almost mind boggling. "The pain must have been quite excruciating."

He wanted to spare her, so he lied. "Eh, not really. It was just a scratch."

"I hardly think so, Booth." She was annoyed, but Booth was Booth. "I'm sorry about Jared."

"Me too." Booth had done all he could do for his brother and had almost died with him. His brother was now gone and the only family he had left was Brennan and his children. "He tried to do the right thing in the end." Jared's life had been a disaster and Booth would always blame his father for it. His father had a lot to answer for. "He wasn't a bad man, just unanchored. He never could beat his addiction for alcohol and it ruined him. He just never found the right person in his life to help him like I did you." He knew he needed to assure her. "I won't let my addiction to gambling ruin mine. I promise Bones. I made a big mistake last year, but I won't fail like Jared and my father. I need you and the kids too much to risk that again."

"I'm confident that you won't Booth." Brennan did worry about it, but she knew that Booth had a lot of support and she knew he was very determined. "You are much stronger than Jared ever was."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Four weeks went by and Booth was ready to go back to work. Standing in the kitchen, Booth poured himself a cup of coffee and watched his children and wife busily working on a jigsaw puzzle. Hank was actually too young and he kept picking up the pieces and throwing them at his sister, much to her annoyance.

Moving over the table, Booth scooped up Hank in his arms and laughed. "Hey little man, let's go play with your ball." He felt a twinge of pain while holding his son against his side, so he shifted the boy to his other hip.

She had seen her husband wince and that concerned her. "Booth, I'm quite certain you shouldn't pick up Hank. You're still healing."

Booth placed his hand on her shoulder and kissed her cheek. "It's okay. Don't worry about it." He carried the boy into the living room, kicked a bright green ball away from a basket full of toys and placed Hank down beside the ball. Gingerly Booth sat on the floor and motioned for the child to push the ball towards him. "Roll the ball to Daddy, Hank."

Getting up on to his knees, the boy batted the ball with the palms of his hands, laughed and pushed the ball towards his father. It didn't really go far, so he crawled over to the ball and pushed it again, this time sending it rolling into his father's hands. "Hey, Hank, good job." Cheerfully, Booth rolled the ball back towards his son and saw it hit him in the chest.

Hank laughed and pushed the ball back starting a game that lasted for a few minutes. Brennan turned to watch her husband and son play and smiled. A month ago, she had had to face the possibility that she would never see Booth alive again and now that he was home, she was afraid to let him out of her sight for very long. She knew she was being foolish, but almost losing him had emphasized just how much he was part of her life. Both of them going back to work on Monday was going to be tough on her and she knew it.

"Mommy, I can't find the clown's nose." Christine was on her knees in her chair leaning over the puzzle pieces. "I don't see it."

Brennan looked at each piece and finally found it. "This it, Honey." She handed it to her daughter and felt a sense of pleasure when Christine placed the nose on the clown's face and grinned in triumph. "Very good Christine. This puzzle is now sixty percent complete. I think we should be done in another hour or so."

Proud of her accomplishment, Christine glanced at the box lid and started to look for the balloon pieces that belonged in the clown's hand. "This is fun, Mommy. I like puzzles."

"I do too." Brennan loved her family very much and it still amazed her that she actually had one. If someone had told her ten years ago that she would someday be married and have two children, she would have thought that person was being unrealistic. She hadn't believed in marriage at the time and she had thought she would be childless. The unpredictability of life amazed her sometimes.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The children in bed, Booth moved over to the juke box, selected a song and turned to face his wife. "Would you like to dance?"

As she moved closer towards her husband, Brennan felt her heart beat increase. After all these years, the thought of dancing with him still sent a tingle through her that she couldn't really explain. In his embrace, they swayed to the music and Brennan felt calmer than she had in weeks. "This is nice."

"Yep." Booth enjoyed dancing with his wife and because of his injuries this the first time in over a month that he could do it comfortably. "Remember a few years ago when I made that wish for you?"

She knew what he was talking about and she laughed. "There is no such thing as wishes, Booth. Well to be more precise, you can make a wish, but they don't come true."

He wasn't having none of that, so Booth shook his head. "Of course they come true. I wished that you would find happiness, love, laughter, friendship, purpose, and a dance. I'm not sure about the happy part since you've been through so much, but you got the rest of it including the dance."

A sense of warmth spread throughout her as he spoke and she knew that wishes sometimes did come true though she would never admit that. "I am happy Booth. I'm very happy. I have you and Christine and Hank in my life. That is more than I ever expected when I was younger, before I met you. You have given me love and friendship and with that we have laughter. My job is important and it does give me purpose, but so does being with you and yes, we dance, but that didn't come from making a wish. It is the result of our mutual attraction."

"You just won't admit my wish came true." Booth moved his arms so she was pressed closer against his body. "But that's okay. It was my wish and I know it came true and that's all that matters."

She refused to let him annoy her and ruin her moment. "You may believe what you wish, Booth. I don't really care." Her face pressed against his shoulder, Brennan enjoyed the feel of his arms around her. She always felt safe and wanted in his arms.

He loved her so much and the thought of some day not being with her made him sad and determined that he would fight to stay alive and be with her as long as he could. "I love you Bones. I will always love you."

"And I love you too, Booth." Brennan didn't believe in wishes, but she did believe in Booth.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thanks


	31. Chapter 31

(After The Hole in the Heart)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

After the intense search for Brodsky was over, Booth and Brennan announced that they were going on vacation. They had both been under enormous pressure and after both had witnessed Vincent Nigel-Murray's death they had been caught up in the desperate search for Jacob Brodsky. Their investigation eventually lead to a very deadly cat and mouse game between Booth and Brodsky leading to the capture of Vincent's murderer. The partners were on edge and no one could blame the pair for wanting some peace and quiet afterward.

Since they worked together as partners, it wasn't unusual for Booth's vacation to occur at the same time as Brennan's vacation. That she had several weeks of vacation time each year at her disposal meant there were also a few weeks that Brennan took off and left Booth behind to work on his own. Everyone that worked with the couple were used to their habits and thought nothing of it when they had both announced they'd be gone for two weeks. Maybe their friends should have.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Booth came back from vacation first and settled in to his office. The man hunt for Jacob Brodsky had taken him away from his other duties as head of Major Crimes and once he was back he felt liked he was buried under the paper work that needed to be completed by him. Add to that his need to hold meetings to catch up with other cases that were ongoing in his division and he was working 12 hour days.

Glad to see Booth back, Sweets waited three days before he entered his friend's office. He knew that Booth could be quite the ogre when he came back from vacation and no one in their right mind wanted to deal with the man until he'd at least had some time to go through his emails and started on reports. Those unlucky to have meetings with Booth during his reentry into work mode were usually careful to be ready and professional.

Cautiously, the psychiatrist stood in Booth's office doorway and observed the agent writing on something in a folder in front of him. Instead of the grim demeanor that the younger man expected, Booth actually had a slight smile on his face which surprised Sweets very much.

"Um, Agent Booth, welcome back." Sweets was poised to leave just in case Booth turned surly. "Looks like you didn't get much of a tan. I thought you were going to the Virgin Islands."

Not really surprised to see Sweets standing in his doorway, Booth placed his pen down, leaned against the back of his chair and smiled. "Oh I went to the Virgin Islands, but I didn't stay outdoors too much. I mostly stayed in bed . . . I was tired you know and I needed the rest."

"Gosh, that seems kind of a waste." Sweets had expected Booth to be tanned and ready with tales of mai tais on the beach and maybe swimming with dolphins. "You might as well have stayed home and saved your money."

Amused, Booth chuckled. "Nah, I got out at least once every day for a swim. Usually in the late afternoon though. I just needed someplace quiet and I knew if I stayed in town, somehow I'd get called back in to work. Me being in the Virgin Islands kept that from happening."

Sweets saw the logic in what he'd said and agreed with Booth. "Yeah you've got a point." Since Booth was in a good mood, the younger man moved across the room and sat down on the chair in front of Booth's desk. "So when is Dr. Brennan coming back from her vacation?"

Booth shrugged his shoulders and glanced at the bullpen outside of his office. "She might already be back . . . not at work though. She told me when she left for vacation that she was taking three weeks off."

Ever curious, Sweets crossed his legs and proceeded to ask questions. "Do you know where she went on vacation? Is she going to go see her brother? She did last year."

Relaxed, Booth placed his hands on the arm rests of his chair and turned gaze back towards his friend. "She mentioned the Caribbean before she left."

"Ah, okay." Sweets nodded his head. "I bet she went to Granada to look into the petroglyphs there. She mentioned them a few months ago to me. She thought she might make a trip to Grenada or St. Vincent this summer. I'm surprised she only went for a couple of weeks though. She made it sound like she might be gone for a month or two when she told me about it."

Puzzled, Booth leaned forward and rested his arms on his desk. "When did she talk to you about that?"

"Oh, when you and Hannah were living together so I guess around Christmas." Sweets missed the flinch of Booth's shoulders. "She told me she wasn't interested in long term digs like Maluku, but short excursions might be worth her time."

"Well, she's got a lot of vacation time she hardly ever uses, plus the Jeffersonian would back her plans if she wanted to take a month off to work on something important." Booth wondered why Brennan hadn't mentioned it to him and decided to talk to her about it the next time he saw her.

Surprised, Sweets uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. "You mean you wouldn't care if she was gone for a month at some dig?"

A few seconds of thought and Booth shook his head. "Nah. She loves stuff like that. If she wanted to go on a dig for a month that'd be okay with me. She needs to relax and have fun and studying ancient shit is her thing."

Puzzled, Sweets stared at Booth for a few seconds and tried to figure out what was going on. Booth was definitely acting very strangely as far as he was concerned. "Oh my God, you've met someone didn't you? You're happy, calm, you don't care if Dr. Brennan is out of town. Booth what have you done? I thought you and Dr. Brennan were getting closer . . ."

"Stop." His smile gone, Booth's nostrils flared as he glared at his young friend. "What the hell is the matter with you? I'm happy so that means I've hooked up with someone? I'm happy because I had a great vacation and it put me in a good mood. Now you're in my office speaking shit like usual and ruining my mood. Fuck you Sweets. Get the hell out of my office."

Alarmed, Sweets held up his hands. "Wait . . . I didn't mean to make you mad. It's just the last time you were this happy . . ."

"Just stop." Booth stood up and leaned on his desk. "I don't want you shrinking me. I'm tired of it. You want to be my friend, then be my friend and be happy that I'm happy. Stop with the shrinky crap."

His cheeks a bright red, Sweets stood up. "I'm glad you're happy Booth and I am your friend."

"Then why don't you act like it?" A little calmer, Booth shook his head and sat down. "I haven't met anyone new. I had a relaxing time in the Virgin Islands. I didn't have to look at disgusting bodies and listen to people's horror stories. I got to sleep late every day and I enjoyed it. Now, go away. I have work to do. I want to keep my good mood and you aren't helping."

Before he left the office, Sweets tried to fix his mistake. "I'm sorry if I jumped to conclusions Booth. I just . . . I have an appointment in a few minutes, so I'll go now." As he moved over to the doorway, Sweets thought of something else and paused. "You didn't say where Dr. Brennan went for vacation."

Ignoring his friend, Booth turned and faced his PC. After a few seconds he had his office to himself and he was fine with it.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Brennan found time after a busy morning and called Angela. "Hi, it's me. I'm calling to see if you'd like to go to lunch with me."

 _Oh, Bren, I didn't realize you were back in town. Of course, I'd like to go to lunch with you. How about the Founding Fathers?_

 _"_ That's fine." Brennan unlocked the trunk of her car, placed her shopping bags in the available space and closed the trunk. "I'll meet you there at noon."

 _Great. I'll meet you there._

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Glad to see her friend, Angela hugged Brennan as soon as she was close enough then sat down across from her. "Sweetie, when did you get back from vacation?"

"Two days ago." Brennan looked over the menu and spotted a few new dishes under the vegetarian section. "I had a few things I needed to do and now I find that I have some free time available for you."

Amused, Angela flasher her a smile. "Thank you. So where did you go on vacation?"

"The Virgin Islands." Brennan gave her order to the waitress and waited for Angela to do the same. "It was very relaxing. I stayed in bed most of the time. It was probably the best vacation I've ever had . . . I don't really have quantifiable proof you understand. That is just a personal observation."

Angela waved her hand, "No, that's okay. Personal observations are fine. So who did you stay in bed with? Some hot cabana boy or maybe a surf bum."

A slight wrinkle appearing between her eyes, Brennan shook her head. "I don't know what a surf bum is . . . . but I suppose it isn't necessary for me to know that since I didn't meet anyone new while I was on vacation. I mostly stayed in my room although I did manage to go swimming in the late afternoon. It was quite refreshing and it wasn't very hot at that time of the day."

Disappointed, Angela sighed. "It seems to me you wasted perfectly good money if you went to a tropical paradise and just stayed in your room most of the time. I was kidding about the cabana boy, you should have taken Booth with you. Maybe you and he could have had fun together. I mean I thought you and he were finally together, but taking separate vacations is hardly a couples thing to do."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "Booth and I have not made our relationship formal yet. We are friends and we are partners, but we haven't decided to further our relationship any further at least not yet."

Exasperated, Angela crossed her arms and glared at her friend. "Bren for God's sake you slept together after Vincent died. You're a couple and you both need to act like it. If you're not careful you could end up losing your chance to be together . . . come on, you told me when you got into bed with Booth that you and he had great sex. I knew you would and now you're just back to where you were? That's just crazy. You should have gone on vacation together and had sex 24/7."

"While Booth is virile and strong and I am in excellent health, I'm certain we couldn't have sex 24 hours a day 7 days a week." Brennan took the glass of tea from the waitress and sipped some of the cool liquid. "Don't push our relationship, Angela. Booth and I will be together when we're ready and not before."

Filled with despair, Angela sighed deeply. "Bren . . . I just hope you don't lose your ticket on the Booth ride."

"I don't know what that means." Brennan hated that her friend was disappointed in her, but she and Booth were still exploring their relationship and they didn't want a gallery critiquing them.

"Yes you do." Angela sipped her glass of wine and placed the glass back down. "But it's your life. Just . . . just don't take too long."

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Her frustration at its peak, Angela drove over to the Hoover and dropped in on Sweets. Barging into his office, Angela sat down on the couch and threw her fists into the air. "What are we going to do with those two? Just tell me that."

Irritated, Sweets turned around in his chair, glanced at his watch and protested her presence. "You know I do have office hours, Angela."

"Yeah, I know." Leaning forward she placed her hands on her knees. "Brennan and Booth took separate vacations . . . separate vacations. It's ridiculous. They belong together and they're still acting like they don't care about each other. I could strangle both of them."

"Unfortunately, nothing we say matters to those two, Angela." Sweets glanced at his watch again. "I know about the separate vacations. Booth says he went to the Virgin Islands and stayed in bed most of the time. If it wasn't for the fact that he appeared happy, I would have said he was depressed, but . . ."

"Wait, wait, wait." Angela stared at the younger man in total shock. "Brennan went to the Virgin Islands and she told me she stayed in her room most of the time, except when she went swimming in the evening."

"Oh my God, Booth said he swam in the evening too." Sweets' frown grew into a sly grin. "Those liars. They lied to us."

Her eyes twinkling, Angela slapped her hands together. "They were on vacation together. They were in their hotel room and barely left it. Oh . . . oh they are so bad."

Sweets pursed his lips and nodded his head. "I think they're hiding their relationship from us. I wonder why. We're their friends."

Unable to stop herself, Angela snorted. "We meddle in their lives all the time. They probably aren't telling us so we'll leave them alone . . . We have to wait for them to tell us that they're a couple Sweets. We don't want to mess this up and believe me it could happen if we say or do something wrong. You know how messed up they are . . . Oh my gosh this is so adorable." Angela clasped her hands and placed them under her chin. "This is so romantic I could just cry. My best friend has finally fallen in love. I can't believe it."

As he watched Angela cry happy tears, Sweets felt a little tearful himself. "Booth and Brennan so deserve to try this out. They really belong together. I've known it for a long time. They've been best friends for a really long time. They just needed to take that final step, but they were too afraid to do it. I guess since Hannah left, they started to move towards each other in a positive way. I'm really happy for them."

"Oh me too." Angela sighed. "I am so happy for them." She wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I just thought . . . I hoped they'd do it, but it took so long and now . . . now . . . I am so happy."

"Me too." Sweets thought about his friends and the hard road they had taken to get where they were. "Maybe now they can both heal."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	32. Chapter 32

(After The Woman in White)

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

"Okay, I bet that John Henderson is the killer." Booth was putting the pieces together and it looked like the husband had killed his wife. Of course it was early days in the investigation, but he needed to start somewhere.

Annoyed, Brennan turned to look at her husband. "I don't think he is the murderer, Booth. I think it was Heather's brother. He had more motive."

"Motive?" Booth glanced at Brennan and then back at the road. "Motive really isn't your thing. That's my thing and I'm telling you that the husband did it. He has a record of spousal abuse. He finally went too far and he killed her."

"No, I don't think so." Brennan held up her hand. "I think you are letting your past dictate your distaste for Henderson and you want him to be guilty."

"Bull!" Booth was losing his patience. "You hate psychology and you're going to use that against me? I am not projecting. John Henderson has no alibi, he's beat his wife before and he's a douche. I'll bet you he's the killer. Just name the wager."

Her lips pursed, Brennan glared at her husband. "You are a degenerate gambler, Booth. You should not be gambling."

Annoyed, Booth's eyes glimmered. "Hey, how many times do I have to tell you I am not a degenerate gambler? I've been through the program. I'm reformed and betting with you is not gambling. It's not like I'm laying money on the line. It's just between you and me . . . If you're so sure that Howard Burns is the killer then make a bet with me. I'm telling you its John Henderson."

Giving Booth a speculative look, Brennan sniffed and finally replied. "Fine, if you lose you have to go to a play of my choosing and if you win, I'll buy you season tickets to the Nationals games."

"You're on." Booth was certain that he was right and if she wanted to pay for season tickets for him, who was he to turn them down?

The Jeffersonian coming into sight, Brennan turned to face the street. "I will collect when I win Booth. I will hold you to the bet."

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "And I'll hold you to the bet when I win."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

While removing his tie and unbuttoning the first couple of buttons on his shirt, Booth noticed an envelope on the dresser with his name on it. Tossing the tie on the dresser, he picked up the envelope and opened it. His mouth dropping open, Booth stared at the play tickets with a stunned expression on his face. "Fuck! No fucking way!" Grasping the envelope, he charged out of the bedroom and down the hallway. "Bones! . . . Bones where the hell are you?" Not finding her upstairs, he charged down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Stepping away from the fridge, a bottle of water in her hand, Brennan frowned. "Booth, you don't have to shout. I'm right here."

Holding up the envelope, Booth shook it at her. "There is no fucking way I'm going to this play. Do you hear me? No way."

"So your word is not good?" Brennan calmly placed the bottle down on the counter behind her. "You made a wager and you lost. If you have no intention of honoring the wager then I must say I'm very disappointed in you. I thought for sure I could always trust you to keep your word to me."

Sullenly, Booth slapped the envelope down on the counter. "That's low. I would never dream of making you do something you don't like to do."

"But you made a wager and the loser isn't supposed to enjoy the experience." Brennan picked up the envelope and handed it back to Booth. "I told you I would expect you to honor the wager and I still do. Perhaps by losing you will see that giving up gambling was the best thing you could do."

"Bones." His voice was whiny and he was certain he was going to have to pay up. _Damn it!_ "Please pick another play. I'll go with you to a play, but just not this one."

She slowly shook her head and picked the bottle of water back up. "This is the play I wish to see."

Slowly exhaling, Booth rubbed his forehead and knew he'd have to honor the bet. "Fine." Booth dropped the envelope back on the counter. "Fine! Have it your way!"

"I will." Brennan was amused. "It's next Saturday. I had to pay extra money for the tickets, but I think it's worth it. Max says he'll watch Christine and we can make a weekend of it."

"Well I can assure you it won't be a fun weekend." Booth crossed his arms against his chest. "I'll take you and I'll sit through the play, but I sure as hell will not have a good time and we aren't going to make a weekend of it either."

Determined, Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "That's up to you, but we are going."

"Why Billy Elliot, Bones?" Booth was furious and his agitation was not dimming. "You know I hate musicals. You absolutely know that."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "I enjoy musicals, but since you hate them we never go see one. This is my opportunity to see a musical with my husband."

Since she was determined, Booth threw up hands. "Fine, we'll go. A promise is a promise . . . I'm sleeping on the couch tonight."

Surprised at his announcement, Brennan glanced through the doorway at the couch in the living room and back at Booth. "Why?"

Booth turned to walk out of the kitchen. "Because you like to cuddle and I'm not in the mood."

"You don't have to sleep on the couch, but if you wish to that is of course your choice." Brennan picked up the envelope and shook her head. _This seems like a lot of effort and drama just to see a musical with my husband._

Oooooooooooooooooo

Restless, Brennan woke and realized that Booth was still not in bed beside her. Annoyed, she moved off of the bed, moved over to the door and opened it. Quietly moving down the hallway, she passed Christine's bedroom and then moved down the staircase to the living room below. Once there she spied Booth lying on the couch cocooned in a blanket and moved closer to where he lay.

Careful not to sit on him, Brennan sat on the couch and placed her hand on his waist. "Booth, you need to come to bed."

Instantly awake, Booth kept his eyes closed and didn't move. Still angry at Brennan's plan to go to a musical, he wasn't about to leave the couch.

"This is ridiculous, Booth." Brennan knew her husband was awake. "You don't have to sleep on the couch. At least sleep in Parker's bedroom. This couch is going to damage your back and you're going to be in pain in the morning, well more pain than you normally are."

Since it didn't appear that Brennan was going to go away, Booth opened his eyes and stared at her in the semi-dark room. "Bones, please go back to bed."

"No." Brennan leaned closer, her free flowing hair brushing his face. "You're just being stubborn. Come to bed and I promise not to snuggle against you."

Her face close to his face, Booth stared into her eyes. "I'm still mad at you."

Brennan knew that Booth wasn't as angry as he said he was. His anger usually fizzled rather quickly and his sleeps on the couch usually were pointless. "I know. That doesn't mean you can't sleep in bed." Her lips now hovering near his lips, she breathed in the faint odor left behind by the body wash he'd used when he took a shower earlier. "Also, I know you don't like to sleep alone and neither do I."

His lips found her lips and he kissed her. Parting, he continued to stare into her eyes. "I really hate sleeping alone, but you know why I'm doing it."

"I know." Brennan placed her hand on the side of his face and returned his kiss. "But you know you're going to the play with me since you are man of your word, so sleeping down here is pointless." Once more her lips met his lips and this time he placed his hand on her back and deepened the kiss.

Once more, they parted and Booth licked his lips. "Well, if you don't want me down here, I suppose I should come to bed."

"Yes, you should." Brennan pecked his lips once more and stood up. "I really dislike it when we argue. It seems wrong somehow."

Booth flung the blanket off and stood up, letting it fall on the floor. "I'm not crazy about it either, but sometimes it's the only way I can get you to really understand that I'm mad and I am mad."

"I know." Brennan reached out and grasped his hand. Pulling on it, she was gratified when he followed her to the staircase. "I've thought about our current situation and I think we should go to the play Saturday night and then go to a game on Sunday. I'm almost certain there is a sport playing in New York this weekend and I would think we should be able to buy tickets for it. I will get what I want and you can get something you want."

Arriving at the staircase, Booth followed Brennan up to the landing. "Well, I guess we could do that." As they moved down the hallway, Booth paused, opened the door to Christine's room and made sure his daughter was still sleeping. Her room quiet, he closed the door and followed Brennan to their bedroom. Once inside, he moved quickly over to the bed and pulled Brennan down with him. Laying on the bed facing each other, he laughed. "I'm not really mad anymore."

"I know." Brennan moved so that her hands were placed against his chest. "I'm glad." Her lips now against his lips, she found that their evening of anger had suddenly changed into a night of passion _. I love make up sex._

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	33. Chapter 33

Anne1585 presented me with this story idea. I hope you like it.

Thank for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

"Who's this?" Brennan sat on the couch with Booth's photo album open and her index finger pressed against a particular picture. "When was this picture taken?"

The strange tone of voice drew Booth's attention from the game being played on the TV. With the use of his remote, he lowered the sound, shifted in his seat and looked at the picture. "That's Teddy . . . Edward Theodore Parker, he served with me in Kosovo. I named Parker after him."

Her gaze fixed on the picture, Brennan stared intently at the photo trying to reconcile what she was seeing with what she knew was impossible. "He . . . he died in 2000."

Puzzled, Booth pulled the photo album from Brennan's hand and closed it. "You know he did. We've visited his gravesite a couple of times together. I visit him every Memorial Day. I thought you'd seen his picture before."

Slowly, Brennan shook her head, a feeling of anxiety warring with reason. "No, I've never seen this picture." Not sure she wanted to have a conversation about Teddy Parker, Brennan stood up walked over to the sideboard where her purse was and pulled its strap onto her shoulder. "I have to go . . . I have something I need to do."

Before Booth could do more than stand, Brennan rushed to the front door, opened it and charged out into the hallway, slamming the door behind her.

Stunned at the sudden turn of events, Booth placed the album down on the couch, strode over to the sideboard, grabbed his keys and raced out of the apartment, down the hallway to the stairs and down to the lobby. Once he was there, he hurried over to the elevator just as the door opened. "What is going on Bones?"

Booth watched as a flustered Brennan left the elevator car and stepped past him into the Lobby. "I told you, Booth. I have something I have to take care of. Now I must go."

Confused, Booth quickly planted himself in front of his girlfriend. "I know something's wrong. What is it? You saw a picture of Teddy and acted like you'd seen a ghost. He's been dead for eleven years. Why are you upset?"

"There is no such thing as ghosts." Brennan desperately wanted to leave and she most definitely didn't want to talk about Teddy Parker. "Now please get out of my way, Booth . . . I mean it."

Reluctantly, Booth stepped aside and watched his partner walk across the small lobby and out onto the sidewalk. _Maybe's it's the pregnancy hormones at least I hope so._

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Confused and upset, Brennan drove in what she thought was a random pattern until she found herself approaching Arlington National Cemetery. Resigned, she gave into her subconscious and continued to the Cemetery. Once there she found a parking space, parked, turned off the engine and sat in her car for a while debating with herself. Finally, unable to do anything other than what came next, Brennan exited her car and eventually found herself standing in front of Edward T. Parker's gravestone.

"I have an eidetic memory. I rarely forget anything . . . Booth told me about seeing you in the ship when the Gravedigger kidnapped you, but I was certain it was hallucinations at the time. He'd been heavily sedated and even after he awakened on board the ship, he was still under the influence of the drugs. Add to that the lack of water and food, the intense stress he was under, uncertain if he would live or die and . . . well it was the logical conclusion. He claimed that you helped him escape from below deck, but you're dead and ghosts don't exist."

A couple walked by and Brennan remained silent as long as they were in ear shot. Once she was alone, she shifted her feet and placed her purse on the carpet of grass at her feet. "I saw you . . . you were at the cemetery when Booth and I visited your grave . . . this grave. While Booth talked to Claire you . . . someone that looked like you walked past me and said beautiful day . . . he said it makes you glad to be alive doesn't it?"

Brennan cleared her throat. "It is a fact that everyone has a doppelganger in the word . . . perhaps that is what happened. Yes that makes more sense since ghosts don't exist."

The laughter came from near the tree towards her right and it infuriated Brennan that someone had overheard her and was making fun of her. Turning to face her witness, she was surprised to see Teddy walking slowly towards her.

"So you'd rather believe that out of the millions of people on this planet, someone that looks like me just showed up at that particular time and in this place near my gravestone since there is no way my ghost actually appeared." His beret worn at a cocky angle, Teddy stopped a few feet from Brennan and shook his head. "You're more stubborn than Booth is."

"Ghosts don't exist." Brennan faced Teddy and braced her shoulders back. "There is no after life. Once you die you cease to exist."

Amused, Teddy patted his chest and stomach and laughed. "Okay, then how do you explain seeing me now? You aren't taking drugs are you because that would be bad for your baby?"

"Of course not." A little outraged, Brennan exhaled sharply. "Not everything is explicable. Just because I can't explain your appearance doesn't mean that there isn't a logical explanation."

His eyebrows rose and his eyes were wide. "Wow . . . really? Well okay then . . . When you see Booth tell him that gambler's anonymous medallion he lost last week is under the dryer in his apartment. It fell out of his jacket pocket and he didn't notice it. I know he's a little upset that he can't find it. He's like that . . . a worrier. Well I guess I'll go. Bye."

Aware that Booth had lost his medallion, Brennan bit her lower lip for a few seconds. "How did you know about the medallion?"

Already half way to the oak tree, Teddy stopped and turned around. "I should move on, but I worry about Booth. He's kind of alone and he needs someone to watch over him. He doesn't have a lot of friends. I mean, he thinks he has a lot of friends, but he really doesn't trust very many people and most of those friends of his are just people he knows. . . I've been watching over him ever since I died. I've only let him see me that one time, on the ship, but he needed help or he was going to die . . . anyway, he has you now doesn't he?"

"He does." Brennan picked up her purse and placed the strap over her shoulder. "We're in a monogamous relationship. I'm pregnant with his progeny. He isn't alone."

"I'm glad." Teddy nodded his head. "I really am glad . . . maybe it's time to see what comes next." Before he turned around, the young man sighed. "I caused him a lot of pain you know. He blamed himself for my death and it wasn't his fault. I was just young and stupid . . . now I'm just dead and stupid."

"I don't think you're stupid." Brennan took a step towards Teddy and then thought better of it. "You were inexperienced."

Grateful for her kindness, Teddy saluted her and smiled. "Thanks. Thanks a lot." Free to leave, Teddy turned and waved a hand. "Hey, where's that white light I'm supposed to walk into?" Suddenly a brick fence with a wrought iron gate appeared next to the tree. "Smart ass." Moving over to the gate, Teddy paused when he reached it and turned back to look at Brennan. "You know it's okay to not believe in ghosts and angels and stuff like that. I don't think they'll hold it against you . . . don't forget to tell Booth where his medal is."

Once Teddy opened the gate and passed through, the fence, the gate and Teddy faded from sight. "I don't believe it." Brennan shook her head. "I refuse to believe it."

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

An hour after leaving Teddy at the cemetery, Brennan entered Booth's apartment and noticed that he wasn't there. Moving into the laundry room, she carefully got on her knees and moved her hand under the dryer. Her fingers bumped into something metallic and after pulling it from under the machine she found Booth's medallion in her hand.

The sound of the front door opening and closing drew Brennan into the living room. "Hello."

Surprised to see Brennan, Booth carried his sacks filled with groceries over to the couch and placed them there. "Hey Bones." Moving closer to Brennan, he placed his arms around her and kissed. "Look I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything Booth." Brennan kissed him back and smiled. "I really did have to take care of some business. It's done and I came back home."

His smile tender and warm, Booth nodded his head and kissed her once more. "I went grocery shopping. I'm going to make some Bolognese sauce for dinner."

Glad to be home, Brennan released Booth and handed him his medallion. "I found your medallion. I found it in the laundry room."

His face lit up with happiness, Booth took the medallion and stared at it. "Thank you. Where did you find it? I've practically turned this place upside down looking for it."

"It was under the dryer." Brennan knew she should explain, but she couldn't. "I dropped my purse and when I knelt to pick it up, I noticed the medallion."

The medal clenched in his hand, Booth looked at Brennan and stared at her in wonder. "I swear I looked there, but wow, you're amazing Bones. You're so damn amazing."

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Let ne know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	34. Chapter 34

(After 'The Lance to the Heart')

This story was requested by Debbie Stevens. I hope this is what you wanted.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

 _He was back in prison. He knew that wasn't right, but there he was. The faces he had grown to hate while he'd been unjustly incarcerated stared at him, several with what could only be described as malevolent smiles. They were up to something and that made Booth wary. As he walked down the hallway towards his cell, careful not to get too close to anyone, he saw someone pulled from his cell and this made him stop._

 _Filled with disbelief, he saw his friend, Lance Sweets pulled into the middle of the hallway. His hands were tied behind his back, his face was bleeding where he'd suffered a severe beating from the men who held his arms._

 _Tears falling down his cheeks, Sweets tried to be brave, but he was trembling and he knew he looked weak. "Don't worry, Booth. It looks worse than it is. I fought back. You'd be proud of me."_

 _Appalled, Booth witnessed the two men standing on each side of Sweets laugh and one of them turned and punched the younger man in the philtrum and the sternum as hard as he could. Unable to prevent it, Sweets cried out in pain as he struggled to free himself from the grip of the other man._

 _Enraged, Booth leaped towards Sweets, hoping to stop the beating, but he was grabbed by two security guards who laughed at his distress._

 _Pleased that Booth was watching them, the man beating Sweets stopped and signaled for the other man to release Sweets. When he did the young psychologist fell to the ground his eyes on Booth. "Tell Daisy not to worry. She worries too much." Blood was pouring from Sweets mouth and nose and he knew the young man knew he was dying. "The world is a lot better than you think it is." The blood pooling around his head, Sweets drew a final breath and died._

 _Filled with anguish, Booth cried out to his friend. "Sweets, no don't go. Sweets you can't go."_

Alerted by Booths' trembling body next to her, Brennan knew that her husband was having one of his more horrific nightmares. Cautiously, she moved closer and aligned her body with his. Her arms around him, she spoke soothing words, nonsensical words really. She was counting on her touch and voice to bring him out of his dark dream and back to her, back to reality.

Suddenly awake, Booth felt Brennan's arms around him and knew that he was home and not in prison. "Bones."

His body still trembling, Brennan was careful not to press her arms against his massive bruises that were still in evident upon his bare torso. "Shhhh, it's alright. You're just having a bad dream. I'm right here, you're home."

Slowly, the effects of his dream lessened and finally his body became still. "Sweets is dead."

It broke Brennan's heart to hear the lost way Booth spoke. Almost like a young child asking her to fix the unfixable. "Yes, he is, Booth. That wasn't your fault. Durant is to blame for Sweets' death. Not you and not I . . . Durant."

Booth allowed is body to relax in the arms of his wife. "Yes, that's true." The sight of his friend, lying on the cold concrete floor of the parking garage was one he still couldn't escape. "He died in a parking garage, he was murdered."

Patiently, Brennan kissed her husband's cheek. "Yes he died in the parking garage."

"He didn't die in prison." Booth felt a tear slide down his cheek. "I couldn't save him . . . in my dream I couldn't save him."

Shifting her body, she moved enough so that she could press her cheek against Booth's cheek. "In reality, you weren't there in the parking garage, so there was no way you could have saved him. Sweets fought bravely and he killed his murderer."

"Yeah." Booth nodded his head. "He was brave."

"Yes he was." Brennan felt Booth move and she allowed him to. Moving away from him, she was careful to keep her hand on his arm. She knew from experience that he needed to feel her touch. "You were just having a bad dream Booth. You're alright."

Calmly, Booth felt the last of the dream leave his mind and appreciated that it had been his Bones who had pulled him out of that horrifying nightmare. Shifting his shoulders and hips, Booth turned over to his side and placed his hand on the side of Brennan's face. "You're my anchor Bones. I know that doesn't sound very romantic or sexy, but your touch, your love . . . you help me. You help me stay sane and in control. Without you, I'd be unanchored, I'd be out of control. I don't know how you do it, but you . . . you keep me from moving towards that dark spot inside of me."

They had had this conversation before and Brennan knew what he was talking about. "You don't have a dark side, Booth. You are man of passion. Sometimes that passion takes over, but you would never do something evil. That is not who you are. No matter how much you are abused, you still have a good side that will not falter. I know you Booth. I love you."

Slowly, Booth leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. With clarity of mind, he knew that his life would be one of disaster and pain if his wife wasn't in his life to help him. She was his partner and she helped him to control the raging beast inside. He knew that she didn't believe that beast existed, but he knew it did. A few times in their partnership she had seen that beast, but her touch, her love for him kept that beast at bay sending it back in the dark corner of his soul. "I love you, Bones. I love you so much."

A smile on her lips, Brennan kissed him. She knew this wasn't about passion. This was about love and trust. Her hands moved to bracket his neck. "Sweets loved you, Booth. You were the brother he never had. He was the brother you deserved. Someday these nightmares will stop and you'll dream about the good times you had with him. I know you will."

Her words were soft, but they had a truthfulness about them. Booth knew that she despised psychology, but he knew somehow and in some mysterious way, she always knew how to get through to him and comfort him. She claimed she didn't have his kind of heart, but he knew that was far from the truth. The fact was she was his heart and she had been for a long time.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	35. Chapter 35

(The Man in the Fallout Shelter)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it. This chapter is definitely rated 'T'.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Booth was sitting on the couch admiring the robot Zach had given him, trying to figure out what the power supply was supposed to be. The last thing he wanted to do was give his son a toy that didn't work for Christmas. All that would do would make the boy cry and Rebecca bitch at him.

Hodgins and Zach were sitting on the couch drinking a Coke and examining the present that Dr. Goodman had made for the entomologist when Zach's attention was diverted by a phone call. "This is Zach Addy . . . but this isn't my fault. I'm under quarantine . . . I don't know what that means . . . I still don't know what that means, Shelia . . . May I speak to you after the holidays? . . . I still don't know what that means . . . bye."

Puzzled, Hodgins rubbed the end of his nose and stared at his friend. "Why did you keep saying you don't know what that means? What did she say to you?"

Zach placed his phone back in his pants pocket and shook his head. "She is quite angry that I missed our date this evening. She complained about it and accused me of trying to avoid her and then she told me she didn't know why she expected anything from me as I'm just vanilla in the sack and not worth the bother."

"Ouch!" Hodgins patted his friend on the shoulder. "That was pretty low."

"What was low?" Zach found himself becoming very frustrated with the older man. "I don't know what that means. If you wish to continue this conversation then you should explain what she meant since you clearly do understand."

As patiently as possible, Hodgins leaned back against the couch and nodded his head. "She's complaining about your lack of imagination when you and she have sex."

A little scandalized, Zach stared at Hodgins for a few seconds, his mind a whirl of memories. "She thinks I'm unimaginative? But . . . She seemed to be satisfied."

His heart not really into the conversation, Hodgins shrugged his shoulders. "Apparently not."

The sound of some of the gears in the robot moving drew Zach's attention towards Booth. The last time he's tried to ask the Agent about sexual positions the man had threatened to shoot him, but surely since they were quarantined together, Zach reasoned that Booth would be friendlier this time. After all they were now comrades. At least he seemed to be less tense than he normally was anyway. Determined to get help from someone who was clearly an alpha-male, Zach stood up and moved over to where Booth was sitting.

"Agent Booth, my girlfriend has accused me of being unimaginative when we have sex." Zach missed the way Booth's body immediately tensed. "I was hoping you could explain to me some of the ways you perform with your sexual partners and . . . "

Before Booth could respond, Hodgins leaped from the couch, grabbed Zach by the arm and dragged him from the room. Glancing back over Zach's shoulder, the entomologist noticed Booth stand up and glare at them as he forced a protesting Zach from the room. Once out of the room, Hodgins grabbed Zach by the shoulders. "Are you insane? He threatened to kill you the last time you brought up sex with him and now you're asking him about how he performs? Do you have a death wish? You're asking to be killed."

Annoyed, Zach glared at this friend. "Who better to ask than Agent Booth? He is clearly a dominate male and I'm sure he has a lot of sexual experience. I thought I did well when I perform sexually, but according to Shelia I don't and I need some help. Agent Booth . . ."

Afraid, Hodgins looked over his shoulder, saw Booth staring at them and turned to face his friend. "Zach, Booth is not someone to mess with. You cannot ask him personal questions and you sure as hell can't ask him sex questions. He's tight as a spring in a watch and he's a sniper for God's sake." Pulling Zach further down the hallway, Hodgins stopped when he could no longer see Booth. "Look, you want help then fine. I know of a book that can help you. I'll buy it for you tomorrow. Just leave Booth alone for God's sake. You do know he's the only one with a gun in the Lab right now? He could kill us all and no one could stop it."

Angela overheard the last part of the conversation and came out of her office. "What is going on? Why are you worried about Booth killing us?"

Hodgins turned and faced Angela, his hand gripping Zach's arm very tightly. "Zach asked Booth to explain how he performs sexually with his girlfriends."

"While I might be interested in that answer that is not a question I think you should ask Booth, Zach." Angela shook her head. "Booth values his privacy. I joke with him about sexy things, but even I know you can't ask Booth about his performance with other women. He doesn't really have a sense of humor at least when it comes to personal things like that." Curious, Angela turned to face Hodgins. "So what book are you going to buy Zach?"

"Kamasutra." Hodgins released Zach's arm. "It will explain everything Zach needs to have a non-vanilla sex life while avoiding being killed by Booth."

"Oh Kamasutra." Angela approved. "Yes, that should definitely help."

Since he trusted Angela and Hodgins, Zach finally realized that asking Booth personal questions was probably considered risky behavior. "I look forward to reading this book you've promised me."

"I'll bet." Angela laughed and walked away. "Just don't ask me to explain the sparky bits. I don't want you to spontaneous combust."

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	36. Chapter 36

(After The Sense in the Sacrifice - 09x05)

Since last night's episode (12x07) put us through an emotional wringer, I wanted to give you all something light to read today.

I don't own Bones.

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Ever since Booth had asked Brennan to marry him and she'd agreed, Booth had felt an irresistible urge to kiss her whenever she was close to him. He couldn't help it. After she'd asked him to marry him and then Pelant had blackmailed him to back out of the wedding, he'd been as unhappy as he'd ever been. Brennan had been crushed when he'd backed out and he'd been terrified that she'd eventually just throw him out of the house. Now that Pelant was dead and Brennan knew why Booth had stopped their wedding plans, their wedding was back on and things were back to normal. Well normal for them.

First they'd kissed in the SUV, then while Brennan retrieved her kit from the back of the truck, they'd kissed again. After they'd repelled down the cliff to where the body was, Booth had straddled the really gross body and kissed her once more. That's when he knew he was getting carried away. He was at a crime scene, dangling from a cliff, talking about his wedding while the ripe aroma of the body wafted over them. _Okay, Booth, come on. This is a crime scene. Show at least some respect._

Still, he was having a hard time curbing his need to touch and kiss his fiancé. _His fiancé!_

Brennan took it all in stride. She often took her cues from Booth when it came to social situations and if he thought it was okay to kiss at the crime scene then that was fine by her. It's not like she hadn't kissed him in the past at a crime scene. Sometimes it was just so hard to contain happiness and after the last few months of abject misery, Brennan was more than happy to let those solemn memories go and to embrace their future together.

After they'd done all they could with the remains, Brennan and Booth had been pulled back up the cliff and for that Booth was very grateful. The ropes and straps were starting to pinch important parts of his anatomy and he wanted out of the situation as quickly as possible. Even though he'd been a U.S Army Ranger and had repelled down more than one cliff and building, he still hated it. He never got the straps on completely right and some body bit always protested the abuse it was receiving.

Once they were topside, Booth unbuckled the straps around his hips and between his legs and groaned with relief. Amused with Booth's reaction, Brennan finished unbuckling her straps and stepped away from them, giving the FBI techs instructions on how to retrieve the body and the finger eating hawk.

Leaving the straps and ropes where they lay, Booth followed Brennan back to his SUV and after she replaced her kit into the back of the truck and closed the cargo door, Booth pressed her against the back of the truck and kissed her long and passionately. "I can't help it Bones. I'm happy and seeing you next to me, I just have to kiss you." And since they were hidden from view from the techs, Booth also took the opportunity to squeeze her buttocks more than once. "Mm, any chance we can go home before you go to the Lab? We can go home and make love and forget all about bodies and gross smells. I can also check and see if my boys are alright since they were a little uncomfortable having straps pressed against them."

Her laughter came freely and with great amusement. "Booth, I really need to go back to the Lab. I'm sure you're boys are alright. I promise that if you wait until tonight, I will more than make it up to you."

Disappointed, Booth kissed her once more and released her. "Well, it was worth a shot." As he walked back around to the driver's side of the SUV, Booth paused and watched as the techs winched the body over the top. Since the remains were now topside, he opened the door and entered the truck. "I'm pretty sure this is a murder."

"I know." Brennan was settled in the passenger seat and was waiting to leave. "Your gut has told you this, but I need more evidence. I'll let you know when I have confirmation."

After he started the truck, Booth paused before placing the truck in drive. "I want our wedding to be ours, Bones. This is going to be your day and my day, not Angela's or Cam's or Max's. Just plan it how you want it and that's more than good enough for me."

Her love for her man was stronger than ever and she was grateful that she had stayed with Booth when he'd pulled back from their original wedding plans. She had been heartbroken at the time and had felt that it was possible that Booth had fallen out of love with her. It had taken a lot of control on her part to stay with him and to wait and see what he was up to. When she had realized, with Aldo's help that something was going on and that it was possible that Booth was being manipulated, she'd vowed to give him all the time he needed to fix whatever the problem was.

She'd never hated anyone as much as she'd hated Pelant when she'd found out that he'd been the reason that Booth had behaved out of character. Now that the demented man was dead her life was moving forward again and nothing and no one would stop her from having the wedding she wanted to give Booth. This wedding wasn't for her, but for him and even though she was planning it, her plans were centered around Booth's belief system. She knew that he had given up all hope that he would ever get married and she had decided that he deserved to have that dream fulfilled. She loved him and she wanted him to be happy. She also knew that he wanted her to be happy and since their goals were the same, then all was well in her world.

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	37. Chapter 37

(The Repo Man in the Septic Tank)

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He leaned against the late model F150 pickup truck and waited patiently for his prey to appear. He'd thought it over and Booth normally didn't interfere with Brennan's squints, but in this case, he thought it might be a good idea.

Dr. Rodolfo Fuentes cautiously approached his truck. The tall well-built man leaning against his truck looked like trouble and he didn't want any trouble. As he moved closer, the dark suit, the bulge on the man's hip where he was obviously carrying a gun made Rodolfo think the stranger was a federal agent of some kind. "May I help you?"

Booth continued to lean against the truck while his gaze raked over Rodolfo's body from head to toe. "You're Dr. Fuentes?"

"Yes, I am." Rodolfo was a little afraid, but he wasn't about to admit that. He knew you couldn't show fear to your enemy since it made you weak and vulnerable. "And you are?"

Slowly, Booth moved his coat jacket aside to reveal his FBI badge dangling from his belt next to his holstered pistol. "FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth."

"Ah, the husband of Dr. Brennan." Rodolfo was certain he knew why Booth was there and he was quite sure it wasn't in the capacity of a federal agent. "I am sure she told you that I think she is beautiful and that I thought we might make love someday."

Impressed with how calm Rodolfo was, Booth shifted the gum in his mouth from one side of his mouth to the other. "She did. You know she's married and yet you hit on her."

Rodolfo shrugged his shoulders. "I am handsome and she is beautiful, so it seemed a natural outcome. She told me no and I accept that."

Once more Booth looked the man up and down before settling on the Cuban's face. "Just so you accept it."

"I do." Rodolfo thought this whole conversation was rather bizarre. "I would never force myself on a woman. I don't have to. I am very handsome and can find companionship whenever or wherever I wish."

Booth was amused that the man thought so well of himself. "There's no accounting for taste."

Since Booth refused to go away, Rodolfo started to wonder if Agent Booth was going to beat him for flirting with his wife. "Are you going to hurt me because I've wounded your pride? It won't be necessary. I can see you are a handsome man and Dr. Brennan has an excellent reason for turning me down."

His laughter light and worried free, Booth shook his head. "I'm not going to hurt you. Dr. Brennan can take care of herself. If you harass her or you try to put the moves on her, she'll break you like a twig."

Rubbing the back of his neck, Rodolfo chuckled. "Yes, I discovered that when we recreated a car crash. She is surprisingly strong. I would not care to test that strength."

"Good." Booth didn't move from where he was standing. He could see that the intern wasn't sure what was going to happen next and Booth liked that. He wanted Rodolfo to be worried.

Rodolfo was definitely confused since Booth continued to stand next to the truck staring at him. "If you are not here to hurt me, then why are you here?"

Booth moved his hands so they rested on his hips. "I wanted to thank you."

A little shocked, Rodolfo stared at Booth in a state of wonder. "Thank me? For what? What did I do to earn such a thing?"

"You told my wife about your father and how he and your grandparents lost the right to go to church and had to attend services underground." Booth knew that he would find it very painful if he couldn't seek comfort from the church. "You told Dr. Brennan that you believed in the right to believe. She also said that you told her that we can't make good choices if we aren't exposed to everything."

"Yes, I said that." Rodolfo wasn't sure why he was being thanked for giving a little piece of himself to his mentor, but it was fascinating. "I believe it too."

With a sincere smile, Booth stepped closer and patted the intern on the shoulder. "Good for you. Not everyone is willing to let others believe in things they don't. My wife and I were discussing whether or not to allow our daughter to go to church. You helped her see that it would be okay and that's why I'm thanking you."

Enlightened, Rodolfo finally relaxed. "Yes, I see. I myself am an atheist, but it is not up to me to make others believe like I do. Everyone should be able to come to their own conclusions. If someone finds solace in going to church and believing in God then he should do so. It is hard to find peace and we should seek it where we can."

"Yeah, they should." Booth had always used his love of God to get through some pretty bad times and he wanted his daughter to have that same comfort. "Anyway, thanks." Finally finished, Booth walked away, but paused a few feet away and turned back to face the intern. "Hit on my wife again and you might not like what happens next."

"Is this a threat?" Rodolfo stared at Booth and knew he wouldn't like that kind of attention from the agent. "I am not afraid and I would defend myself."

His laughter echoed through the parking garage. "It's a threat sport and I don't give a shit if you're afraid or not. You can try to defend yourself, but if my wife impressed you with her ability to take care of herself then you should be a little impressed with me too. Don't hit on Bones again."

"I will not." Rodolfo still wasn't afraid, but he did admire Booth's desire to protect his wife. "You are good man Agent Booth. I see that you want to protect Dr. Brennan and I accept that."

A slow nod of his head, Booth turned and walked away.

Quite sure that Booth was a dangerous man and not someone you wanted to get on his bad list, Rodolfo called out to him. "Have a good day, Agent Booth. I know I will."

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So let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

A/N: As we all know, Bones the television show is coming to an end fairly soon. It is my plan to keep writing for Bones fanfiction for a while. As long as I can come up with story ideas and there are readers out there willing to read my stories, I will continue to post to Bones Fanfiiction. I should mention that there are several Bones fanfic writers that feel the same way I do. Please continue to check Bones fanfiction for our latest updates. I will try to keep the same schedule I've been using.


	38. Chapter 38

(The Brother in the Basement)

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At first the beeping was annoying. He didn't know what it was, but he wondered how he was supposed to sleep with that constant noise. Groggily, he attempted to open his eyes and found that to be a struggle. Puzzled, he blinked several times and finally managed to keep his eyes open. The ceiling above him was white and appeared to be tile, not a sight he was expecting. While he tried to concentrate, he suddenly heard a whirring sound to his left and a band of pressure on his arm increase with each passing second.

Suddenly afraid, he turned his head and saw a pole with tubes running from a box to his arm. There were also two clear bags above the box with tubes leading to the box. Nauseous, he stared at the contraption and he knew where he was.

Afraid to move, he stared at the box as some numbers changed. The pressure on his arm suddenly lightened and the whirring noise stopped. Mesmerized with the drips from the bags to the tubes, he knew where he was, but not why.

In a fog, he felt like there was something he was missing, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. He tried to think about his predicament, but he couldn't seem to latch onto any recent memories. Unable to concentrate, his mind seemed to jump from one thought to the next.

 _Am I sick? I must be . . . my stomach hurts . . . Damn my head hurts too . . . What's going on?_

A noise to his right caused him to turn his head slowly.

"You're awake." Brennan was relieved to see Booth's eyes open. For a few days she had feared she would never see his warm brown eyes again. Her desperate search to get to him before he died had been all consuming and once she had found him and spoke a few words to him, he'd passed out and collapsed on the sidewalk. After that, once again she had feared she would never see those eyes again. His injury was horrific and what he had done to stop from bleeding to death had taken a lot of courage on his part. Brenan knew he was tough, but it was incidences like this that reminded her of just how tough he really was.

"Yeah." He was afraid, but he didn't want her to know it. "Why am I here? What's wrong with me?"

A little disturbed, Brennan tried to remain calm when she answered him. "Don't you remember being shot in the stomach?"

Booth slowly shook his head, confused and worried that some of his memories were gone. "Who shot me?"

"Either Victor Masbourian or one of the people working for him." Brennan saw his confusion and knew that he didn't know who she was talking about. "He was an arms dealer, into drugs and a human trafficker . . . you and Jared tried to steal back a list of names of undercover FBI agents from him, but you were shot during the robbery of the safe at Masbourian's house."

"Jared." The memory of his brother's lifeless body came to mind and with it the missing memories. "Jared is dead." He was filled with sadness and longed to cry for his younger brother, but he couldn't. Not yet. "He tried to do the right thing. He really wanted to do the right thing."

Brennan saw her husband's pain and she wished to help him, but there was nothing she could do about Jared. "Jared took up with bad people Booth. I know that, but I also know that when he found out about the list of undercover agents he knew he had to find a way to get it back . . . Booth you should have trusted me. You should have trusted the FBI to help you. You didn't have to do this on your own."

"How can I trust the FBI, Bones?" Booth knew she was probably angry with him, but he was certain that he had made the right choice. "How am I supposed to trust them after what they did to me and you? Look what happened to Sweets, he was murdered. Look at what happened to me. I was almost murdered and then tossed in to prison for something I didn't do. The FBI betrayed me. I can never really trust them again."

"Booth, the agents that were turned by Durant are gone." Brennan had had this argument many times since Booth had been released from prison and Durant's treachery had been uncovered. She had thought he had finally begun to trust the agency again, but she could see she was wrong. "What about Aubrey? You can trust him. Why didn't you go to him or Caroline?"

"I knew that there was someone at the FBI waiting to buy the list from Kevin O'Donnell." Booth was tired and in a lot of pain, but he needed her to understand. "Jared had found out about the betrayal from Kevin and the only one he could trust was me . . . once he told me that there was someone at the FBI willing to betray other agents then who was I supposed to trust? Sure I've worked with Aubrey, but I don't know him that well. How could I trust him or anyone else at the FBI when there were so many lives at risk? I did that once before and I almost died."

She understood his distrust, but that didn't explain leaving her out. "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you. How can you ask me that?" Booth's head was throbbing, his throat was dry and his stomach was a massive black pit of pain. "I couldn't tell you because you would have wanted to help. I couldn't risk getting you killed. Not you. Never you." His lips were parched and he licked his lips. "Please give me some water, I'm so thirsty."

Embarrassed that she had neglected to make sure he had water, Brennan quickly filled the small cup on the table with ice chips and placed some in his mouth. "You should have told me Booth. You almost died. I could have helped you come up with a better plan . . ."

"No!" Booth closed his eyes. "I couldn't risk losing you, Bones. I've lost Pops and now Jared is gone. What do you think would happen to me if you died before me? I can't let that happen." Sweat popped up on his forehead, his body was trembling from the pain in his stomach. "I love you so much, Bones. So much."

His pain was now causing her great concern and Brennan knew that she had pushed him when she shouldn't have. This conversation should have waited until he was better. Reaching out for the pain pump, she pressed it a few times. "Alright Booth. I understand." She watched his body relax and then his face became calmer. She knew he was asleep. "We will speak of this again, Booth. When you are not in so much pain, we will speak of this again. You have to trust someone. You can't give up on everyone."

Brennan sat down and studied his haggard face. "I know I can't change you Booth. I know that this is who you are, but you have to trust me to help you." She knew she would have to talk to him again about what he had done, but this time she would make him understand that she wasn't asking him to be who he wasn't. She just wanted him to understand that he wasn't allowed to die. He had to remain with her and that meant he would have to learn to trust someone besides her. Aubrey had been to the hospital to see Booth, but had returned to the Hoover because of a new case. She considered him to be trustworthy and she would convince Booth to let his guard down. If Booth was to return to the FBI like she hoped he would, she knew that he would have to find a partner to protect his back. As far as Brennan was concerned, he could trust Aubrey. After all, Sweets had investigated Aubrey's background and he had trusted him. That was good enough for Brennan since she had trusted Sweets' judgment when it came to profiling. Since Booth trusted her, she knew he would at least listen to her. Aubrey had worked well with Booth before Booth had quit and Brennan knew that Booth would be safer with Aubrey beside him. Things were about to change and Seeley Booth would have to accept it.

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	39. Chapter 39

(After The Donor in the Drink)

This story was requested by Debbie Stevens. I hope this is what you wanted.

I really don't own Bones.

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The picnic area was empty and Booth was grateful for that. The last thing he needed was an audience. Carrying a small cooler with him, he placed it on top of the picnic table and sat down next to it. Looking out towards the city, it seemed like a beautiful spot to rest in. The trees were green, the wild flowers peeked out of the dense grass and added a splash of bright colors to the whole scene. The wildness was much more interesting and a lot prettier than any cemetery he'd ever been in.

His mind on the day before, Booth thought about his wife and how their afternoon had been shattered with the beginning strains of a song. They'd finally had had time to sit down and talk. The kids were with Angela and Michael Vincent at the movies for the afternoon and that meant they had time to be alone without constant interruptions. The radio played softly in the background and each had a glass of merlot in their hand. Brennan had just explained an amusing story that involved Clark and how Hodgins had done an experiment that went awry leaving poor Clark covered in blood colored slime when the song 'Girls Want to Have Fun' started to play.

Shocked, Booth witnessed Brennan place her glass down on the coffee table, stand up and flee the room. Certain he had heard her cry, he placed his glass down next to her glass and hurried down the hallway to their bedroom where he found his wife lying on the bed, crying.

Kicking off his shoes, Booth lay down next to her and placed his arms around her. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Embarrassed that she had over reacted, Brennan dashed her hands across her face and tried to wipe her tears from her face. "I'm sorry, I over reacted."

"Over reacted to what?" Booth was worried about her. "Did I say something wrong or do something . . ."

"No of course not." Calmer, Brennan moved her hand up so she could touch his wrist. "I . . . I heard Cyndi's song come on and I . . . I let my emotions get the better of me."

Since he really hadn't been paying attention to the music, Booth wasn't sure what had been playing. "What song?"

Feeling foolish about the whole thing, Brennan sniffed hard and felt her cheeks heat up. "Girls want to have fun. That was the song I sang when Pam Noonan shot you . . . I thought you'd died and then you came back and I was so angry and . . . and a year ago you were attacked in our home and again you were almost killed. It was such a close thing and then . . ." Brennan sobbed, she couldn't help it. "And then just a month ago you almost died again . . . Booth I've almost lost you three times, well four times if I count the time Heather Taffet kidnapped you and placed you on that derelict ship . . . If you were to leave me . . . I'm not prepared for you to leave me."

He knew that she had been through so much because of him and he hated the idea that he had caused her enough pain to cry about him. "Bones, I'm sorry . . . I'm sorry that these things keep happening . . . I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Booth." Brennan shifted and moved enough so that Booth finally loosened his hold on her while she turned over to face him. Once she was facing him, she smiled a watery smile. "Sometimes I think about how happy that moment in time was when we were in the karaoke bar and I was singing my favorite song and then it all shattered when Pam shot you and I shot her. One minute you were so happy, laughing and smiling at me and the next minute you were lying on the floor, blood pouring from you, me trying to stop it and I thought I'd failed." Her arms moves around him and held him tight, her chin on his shoulder. "It only takes a moment, Booth. In a flash you could be taken from me and I might not even be able to say goodbye."

Booth moved his arms around her and struggled to think about what to say. "I love you Bones. No matter what happens, you have to know that I love you. I'll love you forever."

They had laid together for a while just holding each other when Brennan began to move and with his help removed his shirt. Her intent clear, he had removed her shirt and from there they spent the rest of the afternoon making love, slowly, patiently and with great tenderness.

Now here he was sitting in front of where Sweets' ashes had been scattered and Booth was feeling depressed. Oh how he wished he had someone he could talk to, someone that knew his history, all of it. "Sweets, Bones could really use your help. I try, but I don't know how. I just don't know what to say to help her. I keep telling her that I love her, but sometimes I don't think it's enough. She needs . . . she needs me, but the last couple of years I've been in situations where I was shot. You know about the one time in my home, but you don't know about me being shot trying to help my brother out of a jam. It all went wrong and Jared is dead. Now I don't have anyone left, but Bones and the kids."

His hand resting on the cooler, Booth let his head fall towards his chest and he stared at the ground at his feet. "Bones doesn't have a lot of family either. You and I both know she's brave and independent, but man, she needs her family in her life. She really does and someday when I'm gone and her Dad . . . I worry about her, I really do." Booth felt a tear fall down his cheek and that made him angry. "I'm not crying about me dying okay? I made my peace with that a long time ago, this is about Bones. I don't want her to be alone. She doesn't deserve that. She really doesn't and there isn't anything I can do about it. I'm going to die before she does and someday the kids will have lives of their own and I don't want her to forget the happy times, our happy times."

As another tear slipped from his ashes, Booth felt a hand touch his shoulder. Turning, he wiped his hand across his cheek to remove the tear from sight. "Bones . . . what are you doing here?"

"I know you wanted to scatter Jared's ashes by yourself, but I couldn't let you do that." Brennan moved around the table, stepped up on the seat and sat on the other side of the cooler. "I'm your wife and I need to share this time with you. You were alone in prison when Hank died and you were unable to be at his burial, I don't want you to be alone when you do your duty for Jared. I'm your family and you shouldn't be alone."

Actually grateful to see her, Booth sniffed. "Well, okay, if you really want to. I mean, I know you didn't like Jared . . ."

"I may not have liked him, but he was your brother therefore my brother-in-law." Brennan rested her hand on the cooler. "He did try to do the right thing and it didn't turn out well, but I think Hank would have been proud of him. I really do."

A smile appeared and Booth's burden seemed to lift from his shoulders, at least some of it. "Yeah, I think Pops would have really been proud of him. I just wish . . . "

Brennan knew that Booth blamed himself for Jared's demise, but then her husband often took on burdens not of his making. "I wish you would realize that Jared's death was not your responsibility. You tried to save him. He was definitely going to be killed if he backed away from the theft of the list of undercover agents. At least you gave him a chance to come out of the situation alive . . . you did the best you could under extreme circumstances, although I still think you should have involved me in the planning."

An argument wasn't what Booth wanted. "Do you think Sweets will mind if I scatter Jared's ashes here?"

Her first inclination was to remind her husband that Sweets was dead, but she knew that would just make the situation tense and it would not be helpful. "I'm sure he won't mind."

Unable to wait any longer, Booth opened the cooler, pulled out the bag inside, stood up on top of the table and opened the bag. "He wanted to be buried in a military cemetery, but . . . he had that dishonorable . . . I think his ashes should be scattered here. It's nice and peaceful here. He never really had a lot of good things happen in his life, he was just as messed up as me, but at least I have you and the kids and that's more than he ever had. He deserves a beautiful resting place."

"This place is very pretty, Booth." Brennan stood up on the table and placed a hand on his arm. "I think he would appreciate it if he could see it."

A nod of his head, Booth released the ashes into the brisk wind. For a few moments, Booth and Brennan watched the ashes float on the air and eventually start to fall to the ground.

His obligation done, Booth sat back down on the table, placed the now empty bag into the cooler and shut it. Once that was done, he moved the cooler so that it was sitting on his right side so it was no longer an obstacle to his Bones. Brennan sat down on the table and moved so that she was sitting hip touching hip with her husband. "Booth you don't need to worry about me. While I agree that you will probably die before I do, I don't think I will be as lonely as you fear. I have my work, my writing, our children and our friends. I can always find things to do and I will not forget. I will remember you and those memories will be more than enough company for me."

"Thanks Bones." Booth placed his arm around her and pulled her against his side. "I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy, Booth." Brennan also wanted her husband to be happy and most of the time he was. "When you are gone, I will not be happy, but I will be content. I have had an interesting life. You changed my life. You gave me your love and a family and that is more than I ever thought I would have. It was all because of you, Booth."

Booth kissed the side of her head. "You make me happy, Bones. If it wasn't for you, my life would probably be as bad as Jared's was. You changed my life too. You and me were meant to be together. Let's face it, when we were apart, we really didn't have much happiness, but together, man together we have more good times than bad . . . don't you think so?"

"I do." And Brennan really did believe that.

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	40. Chapter 40

(The Lance to the Heart)

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I really don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

He felt lethargic almost apathetic. A brother he never wanted, but had accepted in to his life was dead and his ashes were thrown in the wind. He had his job back, but he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to trust the FBI completely again. His multitude of bruises still hurt and he still wasn't sleeping well.

Booth wanted his wife and child to think he was the same old Seeley Booth, but he knew that was wishful thinking. Sometimes he felt like Booth had died in the old house and he was just a mere shadow of the man he was. Three months in prison for a crime you don't commit has a way of destroying your trust in the world. Add to that the fact that the only reason he was out of prison was because his wife had blackmailed the prosecuting attorney risking her freedom as well. Life had always been hard and it just seemed to be getting harder. No one was giving him a break, well almost no one.

Brennan was worried about Booth's state of mind. He slept poorly and he only seemed to trust her and some of their friends at the Lab. Before he was betrayed, he'd been fairly happy and though his trust was limited, he did trust the people he worked for. She knew that Booth was the kind of man who had to believe in things bigger than himself. He was dedicated to his country a patriot and had done some terrible things in the past because he had been asked to do it. Now he questioned his past as well as his future and that was the most worrisome thing of all.

Observing her husband, Brennan couldn't help but compare the old Booth with the present Booth. In the past the hockey game he was watching would have required a lot of unhealthy snacks and many bottles of beer while he screamed at the television and constantly stood up shaking his fists at the screen.

Now he sat quite still on the couch, one bottle of beer on the coffee table and little emotional response as the Flyers clearly struggled to stay in the game. It made her want to cry.

Desperate to crack through her husband's apathy, Brennan moved into the living room, walked behind the couch and over to the shelves next to the jukebox. Removing her MP3 player from the shelf, she walked over the couch and sat down next to Booth. The earphones in her ear, she found the song she was looking forward and started it.

"Booth our song." Brennan placed one of the earbuds in his ear and grinned. "Hot Blooded, our song . . ."

Puzzled, Booth turned to look at Brennan. "Yeah." He listened for a few seconds and gave her a sad smile. "My mixed tape, you still have it."

"Of course I still have it." Brennan stood up, grabbed Booth's hands and tried to pull him to his feet.

Her singing voice still as beautiful as the first time Booth had heard her sing, she started to sing their song. Almost reluctantly, he stood up and watched her as she swayed to the music, singing loudly and with a lot enthusiasm. Slowly his smile grew brighter and he walked her away from the couch until they were in a clear space. Eagerly Brennan followed him still singing. Once there was leg room, she swung her legs and hopped around.

Amused, Booth released one of her hands and started moving a little as well. Finally caught up in her fun, he helped her finish singing their song. Not as loudly or as enthusiastically as normal, but with a smile and love in his heart.

Her heart beating faster, Brennan stopped jumping about, threw her arms around her husband and cried. "Oh Booth. I love you so much."

Tears suddenly forming in his eyes, Booth held her tightly against his chest and kissed the side of her face. "It's okay, Bones. It's okay."

Her tears freely flowing, Brennan clung to her husband and let him rub her back, kiss her and be the man she needed. After a while, she calmed down, her tears stopped and her body started to sway to the new song they were both listening to on her mixed tape. She had always thought it was nice that Booth had included "Kiss from a Rose' by Seal. The song was slow and they danced to it barely moving, just swaying side to side enjoying the feel of their bodies pressed together, comforted by that touch feeling the heat they both craved.

"I'm sorry." Booth knew that Brennan was unhappy. She was afraid for him and he needed to try harder to make her happy. He'd always been able to set aside his problems and be the partner and lover she needed, but at that moment, crushed by a system he had thought he could trust, he found it hard to let that betrayal go. He knew he had to try though. For Brennan, for Christine and for himself. "I love you."

Their bodies still swaying, Brennan leaned back enough so she could look into his soft brown eyes. "It's over Booth. We're safe, you're safe. Homeland Security has swept through the FBI and removed all of the turned agents. Those that Durant turned are going to be prosecuted and they can't stop it. Your honor has been restored. You have someone at the FBI you can trust with your back. Aubrey is on your side. Sweets trusted him and so do I. You can relax Booth. You can be you again."

Sadly, Booth shook his head. "The old me . . . I'll try Bones. I will. For you I'll try."

"That's all I can ask for Booth." The song ending, a new song began to play. 'Give Me All Your Lovin' by ZZ Top blasted away, Brennan threw her head back and laughed. Excited, she started to bop around again. "I love my mix tape, Booth. You're the only one who ever gave me one."

His body now bopping beside her, Booth smiled. "Give me all your lovin Bones. Just give me all your lovin."

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	41. Chapter 41

(The Change in the Game)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

The envelope was clearly an invitation which surprised Brennan. She didn't really know anyone graduating from high school or college except for some of her students and they certainly wouldn't have invited her to their graduation. She always attended graduations as part of the faculty.

The cream colored envelope had no return address on the outside, so she had no hint of what to expect before she opened it. Her pen knife slid through the fold of the envelope neatly opening it. Removing a cream and burgundy colored invitation from the envelope she found that it was for someone graduating from the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine. A card inside announced that Lisa Pearce was graduating and wanted the honor of Dr. Temperance Brennan's presence.

Her memory eidetic, it only took Brennan a moment to recall the young woman that had accompanied Ivy Gillespie to the Lab on Christmas Day in the year of 2005. Brennan and her team had identified the remains of Lionel Little who had been murdered in 1958 and whose body had been uncovered during a construction project. During their investigation they had traced his history and found a connection to Ivy.

Ivy Gillespie had been shocked and her faith had been restored when she found out that the man she had been engaged to marry had not abandoned her after all in 1958. She had been pregnant at the time with her daughter and she had thought the worst of Lionel when he hadn't come back from a trip to Washington D.C. After Brennan had given her Lionel's letters that he had received from Ivy and kept, Brennan had also bestowed upon the granddaughter Lisa a penny worth at least $100,000. It had been part of a coin collection that Lionel owned and was trying to sell when he was killed. That penny represented enough money to fulfill her grandmother's dream that Lisa could go to Medical School. The invitation was confirmation that the money had been well spent and that the young woman had graduated.

Rarely did Brennan see the positive side of the cases she helped Booth solve. The fact that Lisa Pearce graduated from high school and continued her education was pleasing to Brennan. It was gratifying to know that Lionel Little's granddaughter was able to have her dream come true and that someday she would become a physician. _Ivy Gillespie must be proud of Lisa's accomplishments._

Not certain if she should really accept the invitation, Brennan called Booth. _"_ What are my social obligations when I receive an invitation to a graduation from a university? I am not a family member of the young woman who sent me the invitation, but since she sent me an invitation I don't know if she's just being polite or if she really expects me to attend the graduation."

 _Whose it from? Is it anyone I know?_

"Lisa Pearce, the granddaughter of Ivy Gillespie." Brennan wasn't sure if he remembered so she added, "In 2005, you brought me a body two days before Christmas and asked me to identify the body. . . "

 _Careful Lionel, sure I remember. Maybe she's inviting you because she's grateful that you gave her that penny that was worth so much money . . . $100,000 wasn't it?"_

"Yes, a 1943 bronze one cent piece." Brennan was still amazed that Lionel's murderer, Gil Atkins had missed the most valuable coin Lionel owned when Atkins had killed him for the coin collection. "Apparently she put the coin to good use."

 _I think you should go, but that's me. She remembered that you helped her and she wants to show you some gratitude. I think your social obligation would be to go . . . I'll go with you if you'd like. It would be kind of nice to see her graduate since Careful Lionel couldn't be there. I could kind of represent him for her since all she has is her grandmother._

"Perhaps you're right." Since Brennan didn't have a return address, she decided to contact Ivy and let her know that she and Booth were going to attend. "The graduation is on June 4th. It's a Saturday so you shouldn't have to put in for vacation time."

 _Okay, I'll mark it on my calendar and let Hacker know I'm going to be in Maryland that weekend. This might be fun, Bones. Our first trip as a couple, maybe we can make a weekend of it. Nice romantic hotel room, we can have some alone time._

Pleased with the idea, Brennan quickly marked her calendar. "Yes, that sounds like a lovely idea. I'm looking forward to it."

 _Me too._

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

While she stirred lemon in her iced tea, Brennan stared at Booth and watched him pour a lot of sugar in his cup of coffee. Since it was useless to comment on the fact that he consumed too much sugar, Brennan talked about Lisa Pearce instead. "I tried to call Ivy Gillespie and I found out that she passed away last year. Lisa doesn't have any family left. Perhaps that is why she invited me, so that she would have someone there that knew her . . . I remember when I graduated from both high school and University. I didn't invite anyone since as far as I knew I had no family left and I didn't really have any friends . . . I didn't know where Russ was and I didn't really care at the time."

Booth knew that Brennan had had to deal with most things by herself after she was abandoned when she was 15 years old. It made him both sad and angry at Max and Russ every time he thought about it. "Well, you're not alone now and Lisa shouldn't be alone on her graduation day either. We're definitely going to be there . . . You know what? We should get Hodgins and Angela to go with us too. We could be her family, let her know that someone knows that she accomplished something and that we're proud of her."

"Do you think that they would like to go?" Brennan wasn't sure that her friends would be willing to give up a weekend to attend the graduation of someone they didn't know. "They've never met Lisa or Ivy."

After he sipped some coffee, Booth placed his cup down and picked up his fork. "I think they would. They helped us find out who killed Lisa's grandfather and they'd probably like to know that Lisa is doing okay. Angela loves happy endings and if Angela goes then Hodgins will go."

Slowly nodding her head, Brennan thought her boyfriend was right. "I'll talk to her this afternoon."

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"Of course we'll go." Angela sat down on the chair across the desk from Brennan and crossed her legs. "I think it's wonderful that Lisa used the money to go to Medical School. It's sad that Ivy Gillespie died before her granddaughter graduated though."

Brennan folded her arms on the desk and leaned on them. "I called someone I know at the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine and she said that Lisa's grade point average was exceptional. Lisa is going to specialize in pediatrics."

"That's wonderful." Angela smoothed the hem of her dress over her knees. "I'm surprised that she sent you the invitation, but maybe she's just lonely. I know I would be . . . I think I'll buy her a graduation present. She's worked so hard and she deserves something . . . yes, I'll go after work tonight."

"Booth and I plan to stay in Baltimore over night after the graduation." Even though most of her friends and co-workers were unaware of her relationship with Booth, Angela had known since she had crawled in to bed with Booth the night Nigel Vincent Murray had been killed. "We're planning on inviting Lisa out to diner after she receives her diploma. If she is unable to attend because of other plans then that will be fine. Booth just thought we should offer."

Her mind on a possible gift for the graduate, Angela hummed. "Yes . . . oh, Jack and I will probably stay overnight too. We can get our housekeeper to watch Michael Vincent for the weekend. She won't mind. She's so sweet and she really loves Michael Vincent."

"I'm glad Lisa sent me the invitation." Brennan leaned back against her chair and stared at her iguana. "It's better when you have someone in the audience watching you graduate." She remembered how alone she had felt on her special day and wanted to make sure Lisa Pearce didn't suffer the same fate.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

The auditorium was huge and there were enough seats that there was no one left standing during the ceremony. Booth, Brennan, Angela and Hodgins sat in the back row and waited for Lisa Pearce's name to be called. They had not contacted her to let her know they were coming. Booth thought it be better if they surprised her. As Lisa's name was called and she began her trip across the stage, Booth nudged Hodgins, handed him the end of a small banner and helped him unfurl it. Once that was done, they stood up, held it up over their heads and Booth whistled as loudly as he could.

Startled many faces turned to stare at the two men and none were more surprised than Lisa when she saw the banner with her name printed on it with the words 'Congratulations Lisa'. Stunned she paused and then continued over to the dais and retrieved her diploma, a huge grin plastered on her face. Fighting to keep tears from falling down her cheeks, she shook the hand of the University President and left the stage moving back to her seat.

Once Lisa retrieved her diploma, Booth and Hodgins sat down and Booth rolled up the banner. A curious onlooker leaned over the back of his seat and tapped Hodgins' knee. "Are you a family friend of Lisa?"

After a quick glance at Booth, Hodgins turned back to answer the questioner. "Nah, we're her family."

Oooooooooooooooooo

After the graduation ceremony was complete, Lisa made her way through the crowd looking for the two men who had held up the sign. As she searched, Brennan spotted Lisa and waved her over. "Lisa, I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan and this is Seeley Booth, Angela Montenegro . . . "

Before she could finish the introductions, Lisa threw her arms around Brennan and hugged her. "Thank you so much. I . . . thank you." After that she hugged Booth, Hodgins and Angela. "Thank you all for coming to my graduation. I really didn't expect you to come. I just thought you might like to know that I went to medical school after all."

Angela smiled at the graduate and handed her a gift wrapped box. "We couldn't let you graduate a lone."

Taking the gift, Lisa blushed and stammered her thanks. "Thanks . . . thank you. You didn't need to do this. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Angela patted Lisa's arm and then pulled her into a hug. "Congratulations."

"If you don't have any plans, we'd like to take you out to dinner." Brennan pointed at the door leading out of the auditorium. "We'll understand if you have other plans and can't come with us."

Lisa blushed and smiled shyly. "Thank you. My boyfriend is on the police force and he had to work today, so we didn't make any plans. We're going to celebrate tomorrow. I'd like to go to dinner with you. Thank you."

Booth and Hodgins nodded at each other and handed Lisa gift cards. Booth felt he should explain their gifts. "These are for you too. They're just gift cards to Walmart, but we thought you could use them down the road. We know that medical school is expensive and that penny of yours probably is just barely covering school."

Her smile grew wider and she quickly hugged Booth and Hodgins. "I can't believe this. This morning I was going to graduate all alone and today . . ." Tears erupted which forced Lisa to wipe her gown sleeve across her wet cheeks. "Thank you so much. I know I keep saying that, but I really mean it. Thank you."

Pleased that they had given Lisa a happy memory attached to her graduation, Brennan placed her arm around Booth's waist and smiled at him then at Lisa. "I know what it's like to graduate alone. We wanted you to remember this day and remember it with happiness. Now, let's go celebrate your graduation."

Pleased that he had come, Hodgins threw his right fist in the air and laughed. "To the celebration."

Amused with her husband's antics, Angela laughed and shook her head. "Yes, let's go to dinner."

Lisa followed the couples out to the parking lot and waved at her friends as she passed them. Not alone on such an important day, her joy could easily be seen by everyone she passed. She only wished that her mother and grandmother had been there to see her and also her grandfather, Lionel Little. His murder had been tragic, but her grandmother had died a happy woman and her grandfather's penny had given her an education that she had never thought possible.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	42. Chapter 42

(Aliens in a Spaceship)

This was requested by Ravenclawdiadem16. I hope this is what you wanted.

I really don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

She felt him tremble and that tremble quickly turned into heavy shaking. His cheeks were wet and he gasped as if he couldn't catch his breath. Not sure what to do, Angela knew that she couldn't just lay there and let Hodgins continue suffering in what was obviously a nightmare. As careful as she could, she slid closer to him and placed her arms around him. "Jack . . . Jack let it go, it's just a nightmare . . . Jack let it go and wake up . . . Jack let it go."

His body now rigid, Hodgins woke up and for a brief moment he was still back in the gravel yard, the weight of the rocks holding him down as he tried to claw his way to freedom. Gasping he moved his arms and legs, but quickly realized that he was safe, that he wasn't buried under rocks and gravel. "No . . . yes . . . I'm not . . ." Her arms around him was a reminder that he not alone, that he wasn't going to die at least not yet. Relieved, he reached up and placed his hand awkwardly on her arm. The warmth of her smooth skin a reminder that he was in the land of the living. "I'm okay . . . I couldn't breathe . . . my hand . . . I was holding Brennan's hand and then I wasn't and I didn't know where she was . . . I kept moving, but then I couldn't because the rocks were in the way and I didn't know where Brennan was and I thought I'd lost her . . . but we're safe . . ."

"Yes, you're safe." Angela kissed the side of his head, pressing his curls against his flesh. "You and Brennan are safe." His body seemed to slowly relax or at least he wasn't shaking anymore. "You're in bed in your apartment. Brennan is in bed in her apartment . . . at least I hope she is."

Embarrassed, Hodgins wiped his hands against his damp cheeks. He knew he shouldn't be, but somehow it seemed wrong to cry in front of someone he was just starting a relationship with. Somehow it showed her a vulnerability that she might find distasteful. "I . . . I uh, I was scared that I was still buried at the gravel pit and I . . . I was so afraid that Brennan was dead. She tried so hard to save us . . . I lost her hand in the gravel . . ."

"I know." And she did know. The thought of being buried alive, to forever be entombed in rock, to be hidden from the world and her father never knowing where she was helped Angela to understand Hodgins fears all too well. "But the explosion worked and Booth saw it and we dug you out and you're safe . . . you're safe and so is Brennan."

"Thank God." Hodgins continued to appreciate her arms around him. The gentle kisses she pressed against his head meant so much to him. "I hope I never have to go through something like that again . . . Thank you for staying with me tonight. This really helps. You're being here it helps me . . . I'm not still in the car. I'm not in the rocks . . . Thank you."

Her head moved and she bestowed a kiss to his cheek. "Where else would I be? I'm exactly where I want to be."

Grateful for her kind words, her body pressed against his body, Hodgins tried to relax. His tears drying, he knew for now that the Gravedigger had lost and he had won. _I'm going to get him. I'm going to find out who he is and he's going to make him pay for this, for everything. "_ The whole thing has been so surreal. I was just running to catch up with Brennan and then I woke up underground. We never gave up hope that you guys were looking for us. We knew that we had to stay alive just long enough, but then we knew we were going to run out of oxygen soon and Brennan got this idea to blow the airbag in the window. She did the calculations and it seemed it might work, but we didn't know how far down we were."

Angela had heard this already, but she let Hodgins talk. She knew that he had to talk, to get the facts out there and he needed for her to listen.

"We knew that if we were too far down, then we might not make it, but we were going to die if we didn't try to escape anyway and it's better to try than not to try . . . There was a risk, the explosion could have killed us, but . . . it was worth the risk . . . it was worth it and . . . it was terrible being down there it really was." He stopped speaking and he felt her shift, she moved closer and threw one of her legs over his legs. It was a little painful since his legs were still hurting from being hit by the bumper of the Gravedigger's car, but he didn't care. He needed to feel her and she knew it. Bless her she knew it.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

She called out in fear. The explosion had freed them from the car and she was trying to move through the gravel to the surface, but she couldn't move anymore. She had held Hodgins' hand as long as possible, but they had become separated as they moved. Gasping trying to breathe she knew she was going to die and she had so many regrets. Her chest heaving she felt as if her heart was going to burst from the effort she was giving to breathe and move.

Booth heard her cry out and he knew she was having a nightmare. Leaving the couch as quickly as possible, he rushed into her bedroom, moved on to her bed and pulled Brennan into his arms. "Bones, wake up . . . Bones, it's just a dream . . . wake up you're safe."

His voice broke through her terror and she woke up. Turning her head she stared into his face and she knew that she was home, that she wasn't trapped in the gravel. "I . . . I was dreaming."

Filled with sadness for her, Booth gave her a weak smile and gently kissed her cheek. "It was bad, I heard you in the living room. Are you okay now?"

She nodded her head and Booth released his hold on her. Shifting, he placed his elbow on the mattress and looked down at her. "I know what it's like to be asleep and think you're back in some terrible situation." Booth had had many nightmares about his time in the hands of the Republican Guard. They had grown fewer as the years had gone by, but still something would bring back those terrible moments of being tortured, his feet being broken and he'd relive that nightmare in all its horror. "But you're here in your apartment. The Gravedigger lost. He thought he could bury you and Hodgins and we'd never find you, but we did find you. You're safe . . . you're safe."

Her heart slowly returning back to a normal rhythm, Brennan finally nodded her head. "Yes, of course, it's just that the dream seemed so real."

"Sure it did." Booth smiled and patted her arm. "It's a good thing I was too tired to drive home. You needed someone here for you tonight. I know. Being alone right after something like this, it's not a good thing. Knowing that someone is in the next room, it helps chase the bad shit away."

"Yes, perhaps." Though she considered herself a strong independent person, she was grateful that her partner had found a reason to spend the night in her apartment. The thought of being by herself when she was still a little overcome by her kidnapping made her feel a little anxious. It wasn't that Booth being there made her feel safer, instead it made her feel that the apartment was real. It helped her overcome her fear that she was really still in the car, dying of oxygen deprivation. "I didn't want you to risk getting in an accident on the way home. You were exhausted . . . Booth I have a favor to ask of you . . . you may turn it down, but I am asking as your partner."

Not sure what Brennan was about to ask him, Booth didn't hesitate to answer her. "Sure ask away."

Careful how she phrased her question, Brennan cleared her throat and stared solemnly into her partner's concerned face. "Would you sleep in this bed with me for the rest of the night?"

His heartbeat increased, but he knew that he would say yes. She was asking him to stay with her as a friend and it had nothing to do with sex. "Sure, let me go get my blanket." Booth rose from the bed and entered the living room. Snatching the colorful blanket from the floor where he'd dropped it, he carried it back into Brennan's bedroom, laid on the bed and carefully wrapped his blanket around his body.

"Thank you." Brennan was relieved to not be alone. As she closed her eyes, she willed herself to relax. "If you ever have a nightmare and you need to talk to someone you can call me Booth. I won't mind. That's what partners are for."

He knew that she was afraid to fall asleep and he knew that it would take more than one day to fix what had been done to her. "Thanks Bones and you can do the same thing." His hand snaked out from under the blanket and he captured her hand in his, clasping it loosely. "I'm glad you're okay, Bones. We're going to get the Gravedigger and when we do that guy is going to regret the day he messed with you and Hodgins. He made a big mistake. No one messes with Temperance Brennan and Jack Hodgins and gets away with it."

"Yes, we will get him." Brennan yawned. Now that she was no longer alone, she felt calmer. "I never gave up hope that you would find me."

"Never Bones." Booth sighed and stared at the ceiling. "I'll never not find you if you need me to."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	43. Chapter 43

(After The Man in the Mansion)

This story was requested by anne1585. I hope this is what you wanted.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

He'd been reinstated as a field agent after his little melt down on a city street and he'd shot a clown head sitting on top of an ice cream truck. Not that it had been easy, but Booth was back behind his desk and he was grateful that the FBI hadn't fired him. His conversation with Dr. Gordon Wyatt had helped him see why'd he'd had the melt down and he was still required to see the psychologist once a week for the next month or so, but Booth could handle that as long as he still had his job and his partner. Once he had realized what he'd done, his biggest worry had been that he'd lose his position as liaison with the Jeffersonian and therefore his partnership with Temperance Brennan. Now that he was on probation he was going to be very careful and not jeopardize his partnership again.

Timothy Sullivan walked into Booth's office and sat down with a huge grin on his face. Wary, Booth knew he really wasn't interested in why the man appeared to be so happy. "Don't you have something to do?"

"Tempe and I are seeing each other." Sully was so happy he wanted to spread his happiness around and he expected his friends to appreciate his good fortune. "She . . . "

"Stop." Booth held up his hand and interrupted him. "I don't want to hear about you and my partner. She's my friend and gentlemen don't . . . she'd my friend, Sully and what you two do in private needs to stay private."

"Sure." Sully was disappointed that Booth didn't want to share his good news, but he also understood that Booth was Tempe's partner and maybe he was right. "Okay, you can be happy for me, though."

His emotions warring inside, Booth gave Sully a weak smile and felt that was good enough. "Yeah, I'm happy." Before Sully could comment further, Booth's phone rang and the agent answered it. "Booth . . . I'll be right there." The call ended, Booth stood up, grabbed his jacket from his coat tree and slipped it on. I'm wanted upstairs." With that, Booth hurried across the office and out the door leaving Sully staring after him.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Booth hadn't been in the Deputy Director's office for several weeks. After Sam Cullen had retired once his daughter Amy had died of cancer, the new Deputy Directory Robert Kirby had made it known to his department heads that he didn't want to see them unless there was a problem and they needed his expertise. Booth had taken that as a sign to stay out of the way of the Deputy Director as much as possible and had accomplished that until Brennan's father had murdered a former FBI Agent named Garrett Delaney thereby bringing to light an organization of corrupt FBI agents led by Robert Kirby.

It had been rather ironic that Robert Kirby had been killed by Max Keenan since Kirby had turned out to be a murderer and assassin. Booth still couldn't get over the fact that it had taken a con man to bust open so much corruption at the Hoover. Corruption that Booth had been unaware of until Delaney had been killed.

Now here was Booth standing in the outer room of the Deputy Director's office waiting to meet the new Deputy Director. _I sure as hell hope it's not another asshole like Kirby was._

Gladys Jackson smiled at Booth as he paced the office. Gladys had dealt with Booth before and she knew he had a tendency to pace when he was forced to wait before any meetings he was involved in. The phone rang on her desk and the personal assistant answered the phone. "Yes Sir, I'll send him right in." As she lowered the phone back onto the cradle, Gladys pointed at the door leading into the inner office. "You can go in Agent Booth."

Suddenly nervous, Booth smoothed down his tie, checked to make sure the buttons on his jacket were buttoned and opened the door leading into the new Deputy Director's office. As he entered the room, Booth noticed a man standing in front of one of the windows, his back towards Booth. "Sir, I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth."

Slowly turning, Deputy Director Sam Cullen faced his head of Major Crimes and frowned. "So, your partner's father killed the late unlamented Deputy Director. I guess I should be grateful that Dr. Brennan didn't do it. That would have been awkward."

Surprised, Booth stood rigidly near the door, actually stunned to see his old Boss back in the Deputy Director's office. "Sir? . . . Are you the new Deputy Director?"

His face an unemotional mask, Cullen solemnly nodded his head. "I thought I was retired, but the Director called me and told me about what had happened . . . It was quite a shock I can tell you . . . Right now the Director is trying to fill in the positions that suddenly became open in our organization and . . . well, he didn't want to promote anyone to this position until the Attorney General has finished going over the material you turned over to him . . . God, Booth, a Deputy Director and a former Agent dead at the hands of your partner's father? Really?"

His mouth dry, Booth now wished he'd popped a stick of gum into his mouth while he'd had the chance. "Sir, Max Keenan uncovered a pretty serious threat in the Hoover. He helped exonerate Marvin Beckett for Agent Harper's murder and provided a list of corrupt FBI Agents still active here in the Hoover and in some of our field offices. Yes, he murdered two men and in no way do I condone that, but he also did the FBI and the Justice Department a big favor helping us get rid of traitors. I . . ."

Before he could say anything further, Cullen smiled and held up his hands in a placating manner. "Relax, Booth. I understand what happened. I just found it very strange that it was your partner's father that caused all of this upheaval. Like you, I don't condone murder and I sure as hell don't condone bodies being eviscerated and burned on hotel roof tops, but I do understand why he did it. Just relax. I'm not holding what Max Keenan did against Dr. Brennan or you . . . How is Dr. Brennan? She has to be shook up about what happened."

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "She's tough, Sir, but yeah, her father was in town long enough to kill two men, hand over information to expose a bunch of crooked Feds and then left. That's hard to take, but Bones is pretty independent and she has friends to help her through this mess."

"Good, good." Cullen moved around his desk and sat down. "Well, I just wanted to meet with you and let you know I'm back. Hopefully once the Justice Department gets this mess settled and everything is back to normal we can get back to our jobs."

Curious, Booth glanced at the picture of Cullen, his wife and daughter Amy before he turned his attention back on Cullen. "Do you plan to stay Sir?"

"I'm not sure yet." Cullen leaned back against his chair. "I've had time to grieve and so has my wife. She's gone back to work and she thinks it's a good idea that I do the same. I might stick around for a while. Someone needs to be here when Max Keenan turns back up and the shit hits the fan again."

"Yes Sir." Booth saw the smile and he knew that Cullen seemed to be happier than the last time he'd seen him. "We can probably count on that."

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	44. Chapter 44

(Season 12)

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Hodgins rolled into Angela's office with a sheaf of papers and an air of excitement. "Angela I have this great idea for a pop-up book. It hit me late last night and I've drawn a few of my ideas on these pages to show you. You know I can't draw like you, but if we work on this together I think we might have a real gem on our hands."

Curious about her husband's idea, Angela stood up and moved closer to his wheelchair. Taking the proffered sheets of paper, Angela flipped through them looking at them carefully. "I'm not sure . . . can you explain it to me?"

His excitement threatening to bubble over, Hodgins grinned and pointed towards the table near the corner of the office. "Let me spread them out so you can seem them better and then I'll explain."

Angela hadn't seen her husband excited about anything for a long time and to see him practically bouncing in his chair made her excited in turn.

After the papers were spread out in a specific order, Hodgins pointed to the first page. "Okay this book is aimed at kids about Hank's age. He has a new pop-up book about fireman he showed me yesterday when we went over to their house for dinner. It was so cute and very colorful and I kept thinking that if I had a story to tell, I'd do it that way . . . in a pop-up book." Hodgins felt nostalgic and that feeling had been with him since the idea for the book came to him. "A few years ago, remember when Booth was a suspect in an murder investigation and we had to work with Agent Perotta? You know he had a fight with some firefighter and the guy turned up dead?"

"Booth was never a suspect in that murder as far as I'm concerned." It still made Angela angry that the FBI would ever consider Booth anything other than a fine upstanding man. Of course they let themselves be tricked into thinking he was a murderer a couple of years ago and Booth ended up in prison for several months before the prosecutor relented. Angela would never forgive the FBI or the Justice department for doing that to Booth. It was abuse and terrible abuse at that. "But yes I remember Agent Perotta."

"Anyway, Perotta made a comment that we were her people and Wendell and I corrected her and reminded her that we were Booth's people." Hodgins jabbed at his first drawing. "Angela we are Booth's people and this is our story, but in a simple tale for kids. It's about us . . . As you can see in the first print, this shows Booth as a farmer and he's holding a flashlight because he's investigating the woods beyond his barn."

His excitement continuing to grow, if that was possible, Hodgins flashed a toothy grin at his wife. "That little building at the top is the barn with an attached silo . . . now these characters are us. All of us."

Angela saw him point at each character he'd drawn on the page. "Brennan is a beetle . . . notice she's looking in a microscope?"

The pictures weren't drawn badly, but Angela knew she could do much better. "Yes, I see."

A quick nod of his head and Hodgins continued. "Now this ant is Aubrey and he's writing in a notebook. Cam is the caterpillar and she's holding a magnifying glass. That butterfly is you and you're holding a camera." With pride Hodgins tapped the wasp flying in the air. "That's me . . . I don't have the story written yet, but Booth is investigating something going on in the woods and we're helping him because we're his people. Get it? What do you think?" He pointed at the other pictures and frowned. "These pictures should line up with the story. They're rough drawings I know, but with your help we could do this Ang. We could work on this in our spare time and when it's ready to go to print we can show it to Brennan and Cam. I really want to do this Angela. I really want it to be published, but I need your help. I can't do it by myself."

Her enthusiasm growing as she looked at the rough sketches, Angela finally leaned over and kissed Hodgins. "This is wonderful, Jack. It's beautiful. I want to help you do this. I'll draw the characters and put together the pop-up book. You can write the story since it is your story. I love it. I just love it."

So pleased that she was going to help him, Hodgins smiled at his wife in gratitude. "Babe this is us. This is a story about all of us. We rarely get in the news and that's okay. I don't work here for fame or glory, but I think it would be nice to tell our story. This book shows how Booth is the investigator and how in this story we help him to solve a mystery. It shows us as part of his team, his family. It's our story. It shows how we work together and we do it because we do it out of love for each other. We can count on each other."

Angela was suddenly filled with emotion and felt a tear slide down her cheek. "We are a family." Sniffing, Angela ran her finger under her damp eyes. "Booth will be so surprised to see himself as a farmer. He's such a city boy. It's a sweet idea, Jack. If we can't get anyone to publish it, we'll publish it ourselves. Our story needs to be told and we're going to tell it."

"Thank you, Angela." Hodgins gathered the papers together and gave them to his wife. "Thank you for listening to me and helping me with this. I really want to do this and when it's printed we can give a copy to all of our friends . . . our family because they need to see their story."

"You're welcome Jack." Angela held the pages against her breasts. "Thank you for trusting me to help you with this. It's going to be so beautiful."

Hodgins was filled with pride for his wife. He knew that she had helped him to grow over the years to be a better man. He was no longer the angry man that had to wear rubber bands on his wrist to snap them to try to stop him from lashing out at others around him.

It wasn't too long ago that he had wanted to give up on his life. His legs were useless from the explosion he had been in and he had lost hope, but her love had broke through his self-pitying wall and she had forced him to see that he hadn't lost everything. He had only lost his ability to walk. He was still Jack Hodgins. He had a gorgeous wife and handsome son. He had friends that he loved so much he considered them to be his family and he knew that he was a lucky man. "Wouldn't it be cool to be a wasp? I could fly. That would be so awesome."

Angela leaned over and kissed him. "You're already awesome, Jack Hodgins."

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	45. Chapter 45

(The Proof in the Pudding)

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It had been one of those days where everything seemed to just go from bad to worse. After he'd left the Lab, several men in black suits claiming to be with the General Service Administration had showed up and locked down the place. The only reason why Booth knew about it was because Lance Sweets had been at the Lab at the time and he was afraid. The younger man had called Booth to let him know what was going on and the FBI Agent looked into as quickly as he could.

Once he was threatened to stay away from the Lab, Booth knew that something was definitely wrong and he wasn't going to let his people deal with it on their own. Besides his partner was being held against her will and that was not going to happen if he had any say in it. She and the squints were FBI property and did not belong to the General Service Administration, although after talking with Mr. White, Booth knew they weren't who they said they were and that was not good.

The fact that the mysterious men in black wanted Brennan and the rest of the squints to identify how a person had died and then provided the body had made the hair on Booth's neck stand up. Brennan had done a lot of work for the Pentagon and the CIA as well as the FBI and some of it had been done secretly because of National Security issues, but she'd never been kidnapped by her own government to do the job. Something was wrong and Booth didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.

After making a loud entrance in to the Lab with a bullet through the plate glass door, Booth had been attacked and knocked to the ground. After speaking to Booth, Mr. White had decided that Booth could stay and that was fine by Booth. He meant to be there and Mr. White didn't seem to care.

To his amazement, Booth listened to the theories being put out by Brennan and the squints and he wasn't a very happy man. The secrecy made sense since it was possible that the skeletal remains being examined by Brennan was the 35th President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, but why the government wanted Brennan to determine how the man had died made no sense. Like most Americans, Booth believed that Lee Harvey Oswald had murdered his president, but Brennan's examination of the remains proved that the person who had been killed and whose body they were currently studying had been shot by two different shooters.

Booth needed the victim to not be JFK because if it was him then his government had lied and that meant that Booth's own past was being called into question. If the government could lie about JFK's assasination then they could have lied to Booth about the need for the deaths of the men he had killed. If they had lied about that, then Booth wasn't a patriot, he was a murderer and he wasn't sure he could live with that.

Brennan had understood why Booth was afraid of who was lying on the table in the Lab and after talking to him, she had come to realize that Booth's future might be in her hands. In the end she told him that the victim hadn't been JFK. She and Cam knew that it was possible that Brennan had lied to Booth, but at that point neither of them cared. A man's sanity and peace of mind was more important to them, especially since they hadn't specifically identified the victim and Mr. White had wanted it that way. Whatever had happened at the Lab hadn't been official, no reports had been written, so Brennan's lie was moot.

They left the Diner, tired and still trying to puzzle out what had happened at the Lab. Since the examination of the body had ended with no answers from Mr. White, everyone involved started to think it was a test, but who was being tested and why was just as much of a mystery as the body that had been whisked away just as the sun started to peek over the horizon.

"You know, you must think I'm crazy for being so happy that it wasn't JFK." Booth was indeed very happy that his world hadn't been shattered.

Brennan linked her arm around Booth's arm as they walked back to where their vehicles were. "I'm very impressed. You wanted the truth, even if it was going to hurt you." And she was impressed. Booth had wanted to know the truth even if it meant his past might have been a lie. He needed to know the truth and that made Booth a good man as far as Brennan was concerned.

"I learned that from you." Booth wanted her to know that her relationship with him as her partner had helped in more ways than she might imagine.

Surprised, Brennan found his statement to be quite curious. "Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, sometimes you have to go with your brain over your gut." Booth was a man of feelings, but in this case he had needed to know the truth and damn his feelings.

Amused, Brennan smiled. "That's nice, but I'd prefer that you always go with your brain over your gut, because your gut cannot think."

"Your brain can't digest a breakfast burrito." Booth knew that Brennan never really trusted his gut reactions, but sometimes he lived by them and so did she. "Just the same, to each their own."

And Brennan never would understand why Booth had to use his emotions so much instead of logic, but it worked for him and that was fine by her. "To each their own . . . I'm glad that the victim wasn't JFK, Booth. I really am."

"I know, but you worked so hard for me because I needed to know and I really do appreciate that more than you'll ever know." Booth had felt like a crushing weight had been lifted from his shoulders earlier at the Lab when Brennan had said her pudding test proved that the victim wasn't JFK. Brennan was a scientist and she had been willing to come up with a test that would give him and everyone else the answer they had wanted. He had already thanked her, but her finding had been so important to him and he needed her to know that he owed her.

The thought that he might have murdered fifty men because his government needed him to had been a frightening thought. He had been a sniper and he'd killed men that his government had told him were monsters and evil. To think that he'd been lied to was almost more than he could bear. He would forever be grateful that Brennan had given him back his faith in his government, in himself. "I tell you what, let's go out tonight. How about a movie? My treat . . . or to a play, although no musicals, please. Whatever you want. How about it?"

Though she was tired, Brennan knew that Booth wanted to celebrate and she felt it was only right to help him. "Well, let me go home, get about seven hours of sleep and I'll call you at four to see if you still want to do something. You may be too tired to go out. You had a long night."

"Call me at four." Booth wanted her go out with him and he didn't care how much sleep he had. "Whatever you want to do, we'll do it."

"Alright." Brennan was so tired, she knew she'd fall asleep with no trouble. "It was a strange night."

"A very strange night." Booth really thought that was an understatement. "Of course, Hodgins was in his glory. He loves all that conspiracy bullshit. He'll be dreaming about last night for months."

"Yes, Mr. White made him very happy." Brennan smiled. Her life had odd twists in it sometimes, but she wouldn't trade her life for anything.

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	46. Chapter 46

(The Secret in the Service)

This story was suggested by anne1585. I hope this is what you wanted.

I don't own Bones.

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She was finally resting and the children were asleep. Unable to sleep, Booth left the bedroom as quietly as he could and walked down to Christine's bedroom. Leaning against the doorframe, he watched his daughter sleep and marveled how she could sleep so peacefully. He and Brennan struggled to give their kids a life they had never had and for the most part they had been successful. It was those times that they had failed that worried Booth.

Though she was so young, Christine had had adventures that worried her father. She had been on the run for several months with her mother when she was a toddler and when she was just five years old she had lost her home after it was destroyed when her father had been attacked and almost killed. Booth was imprisoned for several months for a crime he didn't commit and then a year later, he was almost killed again when he'd tried to help Jared retrieve a list of undercover FBI agents from a traitor. His daughter had lost two uncles and a great-grandfather in about a year and it just seemed that the losses kept coming.

Softly, his words barely above a whisper, Booth apologized. "I'm so sorry, Baby. If I could give you an ordinary a life I would. I really would." The thought that his little girl had suffered because of things he had done, made Booth question whether or not he was a good father. He tried so hard to be a good man, a good parent, but he knew he had failed several times. All he could do was vow to move on and strive to be the father his children needed him to be.

Restless, Booth moved away from doorway and made his way to the living room. A gentle rain was falling outside and some of the drops beat softly against the picture window. The sound pleasant, Booth sat down on the couch, closed his eyes and tried to relax.

Before too much time had passed, the image of Neil Stockton dying on the street and after that the death of Agent Walker invaded his mind. So many deaths and they kept piling up on his cosmic balance sheet. He had killed Stockton to save the President of the United States and Walker had died while trying to do the same, but still these were two more deaths he felt responsible for. It seemed like the more he struggled to fix that sheet, to balance good deeds with bad deeds the longer his sheet grew. He wasn't sure what was going to happen when he died and faced God. Would God understand and forgive him?

"Booth." Brennan sat down next to her husband and placed her hand on his thigh. "Why don't you come to bed? You're tired and you've had a long day."

Slowly, Booth opened his eyes and turned his head to stare at his wife. "Bones, you're still sick. You should be in bed."

"I'm much better." Brennan's cold had been fairly bad earlier that evening, but the cold medicine seemed to have kicked in and the humidifier in the bedroom had seemed to make her breathing easier, at least for now. "Are you thinking about Neil Stockton?"

He knew that she was worried about him, but he really didn't want her sitting in the living room. Their bed was much warmer and he worried the chill air was going to aggravate her condition. Reaching over to the top of the couch, Booth removed the blanket folded on top, unfolded it and placed it around his sick wife. "If you're going to be out here at least cover up. You really should be in bed."

Brennan knew Booth well and she knew he was trying to divert his sadness by worrying about her. "I'm sorry that you had to kill Neil Stockton, but you had to do it. The President's life was in peril and you had to stop Stockton. This is no one's fault but Neil Stockton."

If there was one thing he could count on that was good in this world it was that Brennan had his back. He knew that she loved him and she supported him in everything he did. "It's just that if I'd figured out it was Neil sooner, maybe I could have arrested him before he was on the street with that gun. If my game had been just a little better, maybe he'd be alive and so would Walker."

"Nonsense." Brennan gripped his knee, trying to get his full attention. "You relied on the evidence at hand. It looked like Agent Walker was potentially an assassin. He was your primary suspect in the murder of a Secret Service agent and he tried his best to keep you out of that case using the specious excuse that John Wilkes Booth was one of your ancestors. That was ridiculous. You're a decorated war veteran and you've proved your loyalty to this country many times. All the evidence pointed to Walker and you were right to fear that he'd planned to assassinate the President. It was you and Aubrey on the street, alert and doing your jobs that alerted you to the fact that Neil Stockton was the real threat to the President and not Walker. You were able to stop Stockton and by doing so you saved the President's life. There was nothing else you could have done."

Her words were a balm to his tormented soul. She always seemed to know how to cut to the chase and say what he needed to hear. "Thank you . . . thank you for being on my side."

"Where else would I be, Booth?" Brennan smiled and placed her hand gently on the side of his face. "You are the most honorable man that I know . . . now, let's go to bed. Sitting out here is probably not a good idea, but I don't want you to be by yourself. Come to bed and keep me company."

Booth stood up and pulled Brennan to her feet, the blanket falling from her shoulders. "Yeah, I turned the heater up a little while ago, but I think the temperature outside must be dropping."

As they walked down the hallway, Brennan sneezed and pulled several tissues from her pajama pants pocket and wiped her raw nose. "I really despise being ill. It's unfair that you have such a poor diet and rarely get sick and I, who eat no meat and little sugar is beset with every cold virus that exists."

Amused, Booth chuckled. "Bones, you're rarely sick and you know it."

One more sneeze and Brennan hurried into their bedroom and got into bed as quickly as possible, pulling the blankets up to her nose. "Well, I am sick more often than you are and that is clearly an injustice."

As he unbuttoned his shirt, Booth shook his head at his wife. "Well, I got good genes Bones . . . well sort of. My bones are rotting, but at least I don't get a lot of colds or the flu."

"Um, your bones aren't rotting, Booth." Brennan knew that most of her husband's bone problems stemmed from being abused as a child, being tortured while a prisoner of war and having a refrigerator blown up in front of him. "You're just feeling the effects of being abused in the past. I do wish I did have your immune system though."

His shirt removed, Booth unzipped his pants and let them fall to his ankles. "Well, at least I inherited something good from my parents." Stepping out of his pants, he picked them up and draped them on the chair near the closet. That done, he moved onto the bed, pulled the blankets up around his shoulders and placed his arms around his wife. "Let me warm you up a little."

Pleased to have the extra heat from Booth's body next to her, Brennan smiled. "Thank you. You are an excellent additional source of heat."

"Well, thank you." Booth closed his eyes and sighed. "By the way, when you get better, I plan to generate more heat for you."

Brennan giggled. "I'll look forward to that."

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	47. Chapter 47

(Season 12)

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Brennan had continued to pay Max's rent on his apartment until she and Booth found time to clean the place out. She wasn't in a hurry and Booth thought it might be a good idea for her to recover from the shock of losing her father before they went through his things. Brennan had found herself to be weepy every time she thought she was ready, but she knew that she couldn't put off the task forever.

After three months of mourning for her father, Brennan finally decided she could face the chore ahead of her and with Booth, Angela and Cam's help they arrived at Max's apartment one Saturday morning and started to go through his possessions. Some were keep sakes that Brennan would keep for Russ and her children and most would be boxed up and given to the Salvation Army. All the furniture was plain but functional and that was going to be picked up by the Salvation Army to be sold in one of their thrift stores.

Booth took on the task of going through the closets in the apartment while Cam and Angela tackled the kitchen. Brennan spent the time going through two chest of drawers in the bedroom, making sure personal items were set aside and placed in a box marked 'Max'. Her plan was to go through them at home and see what was worth keeping and what was just junk and needed to be thrown away. She didn't want to make any snap decisions while looking through the items in the apartment. She realized that she might throw away something of sentimental value to her and regret it later.

It amazed her just how much stuff her father had accumulated and had stored in the dressers. Apparently he collected odd things like old bottle caps which he kept in a small box and foreign coins which he kept in coin books.

After Booth removed the suits, ties and dress shoes from the closet and boxed them up, he returned to see what was in the boxes on the top shelf. There were four cardboard boxes on the shelf as well as two shoe boxes. Much to his surprise the shoe boxes had names neatly written on the lids in faded Magic Marker, Tempe and Russ.

Curious, he opened the box with Brennan's name on it and found a small Raggedy Ann doll, four tiny cat figurines, two cassettes one with Cyndi Lauper's name written on it in neat block letters and the other one displayed the name Pet Shop Boys. Booth was more into louder music and found it amusing that Brennan was into Pop music as a child considering she never seemed to keep up with pop culture as an adult. The box also contained an envelope of pictures and a couple of strands of cheap necklaces. The beads were bright and colorful, but were obviously meant for a child and not an adult. After he replaced the lid on the box, he looked inside Russ' box and found a sack of marbles, a sci-fi book, The War of the Worlds, a handful of Match Cars and a dozen toy soldiers. His curiosity sated, he placed the two boxes on the keep pile beside the closet.

One of the cardboard boxes contained some items that must have belonged to Christine Brennan. There were some belts, necklaces, bracelets, a few scarves and an envelope of pictures. This box was a keeper. The second cardboard box contained a few sweaters, gloves, knit caps and a woolen scarf that Max had boxed up once spring had arrived. The third box contained two pistols, two gun cleaning kits, one of them for rifles, plus several boxes of ammunition for the pistols and a rifle. The fourth box contained children's games. Booth knew that Max kept them for Christine and Hank when he babysat them.

Booth also found a rifle in a case behind the boxes and a locked box that he would have to pry open when he got home since he had no idea where the key was.

The closet now empty, Booth carried the shoe boxes and the cardboard box that contained his mother-in-law's things as well as the rifle and the cardboard box that contained the pistols out to the SUV and placed them in the trunk. When he came back into the apartment, he found Brennan in the bedroom, still going through the dresser drawers. "Booth, Dad had one dresser filled with just things, no clothes. It's amazing the things he had in here." In each hand, Brennan held up a pair of binoculars and an electronic jamming device that Brennan recognized from a few years ago when her father broke into her apartment to talk to her, before he was arrested for murder. What a strange and anxious time that had been. "I suppose I can keep the binoculars for Christine. She could use them for bird watching."

Booth took the electronic jammer from her and shook his head. "I think I'll take this to work. The kids don't need it . . . what else did you find?"

Pointing to the top of the dresser, Brennan huffed, "Several decks of cards, a chess board, a backgammon board and pieces, a metric wrench set, an Allen wrench set, a stethoscope, a box of watches and a box filled with pieces of several different kinds of pistols. I'm sure some of these things were used to commit crimes with. We'll have to take the pistol parts home. We can't give them to the Salvation Army that's for certain. I'm going to keep the coin set for Hank and Christine unless Russ wants it. I'll have to check with him."

Russ was a sore subject with Booth at that moment. Right now his brother-in-law was on Booth's shit list and he wasn't going to get off of it anytime soon. Not only did the man not show up at his own father's funeral, but he couldn't be bothered to come help clean out Max's apartment and pick out what he wanted to keep. If it was up to him, Booth would have made sure his brother-in-law didn't get a damn thing, but it wasn't up to him. "Maybe Russ' kids might like them. If not, I think Christine would definitely like to keep them." He wanted to tell Brennan to keep everything, but he knew that Brennan wasn't that kind of person. Booth knew that she would want to share mementos with her brother. "Come on, I'll help you look through the other dresser."

Brennan appreciated that Booth was there. She considered herself to be a very strong independent woman, but sometimes she knew she needed support just like he did. It made her sad to think that the things in the apartment would never be needed by her father again. "He tried so hard to get me to forgive him."

He heard her voice crack and turned in time to see tears start to fall down his wife's cheeks. Booth pulled her into his embrace and let her weep. He knew she was still mourning even if she didn't agree. He had mourned for his father one evening and that was all he had in him to give, but Max and Brennan had had a loving relationship the last few years of his life and Max shouldn't be forgotten so easily. Booth also mourned for his father-in-law. Max had been the father he never had. The old con man had accepted him as a son and Booth had loved the man though he had never actually voiced that out loud. He hadn't wanted to step on Brennan's relationship or take anything away from her. She had had a father that loved her and Booth was happy for her.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

Robin, I couldn't PM you so I'll answer your question here. In the previous chapter I mentioned that Christine lost two uncles. She lost Jared, her father's brother and her Uncle Sweets. She called him Uncle and considered him family.


	48. Chapter 48

(The Donor in the Drink)

A/N: In case you missed it, I posted Chapter 47 last Wednesday, but Fanfiction did not send out notifications. I let everyone know on Twitter and Tumblr when I found out, but I know most people don't follow me on those sites.

This story was suggested by mendenbar. Thank you.

I don't own Bones.

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His world had been turned upside down for over a year and half. That's a long time to hate something you used to love. The FBI had betrayed him and imprisoned him for murders he hadn't committed and yes it was done by the order of Glen Durant, but the evil was done by his agency. An agency he had loved and risked his life to work for. An agency that he saw as doing good, fighting evil and giving him something greater than himself to believe in.

Even though he'd help crack open a treasonous plot and in the end proved that he had been set up for murders he didn't commit, there were still FBI agents that didn't trust him and let's face it the feeling was mutual. The only reason why he'd accepted his old job back in the FBI in the first place was because he still wanted to do good in the world and Brennan needed his help working cases. Booth needed to make sure that she had someone that could protect her when she was out in the field and that had to be him.

He still believed in honor and that evil men and women should be brought to justice to pay for their crimes. That didn't mean he had to like or trust the agents he worked with.

It was a dire situation and Sweets had known it. Before the psychologist had died, he'd searched for an agent that Booth could trust and he thought he'd found one named James Aubrey. Sweets did a thorough background check on Special Agent Aubrey and he thought he'd found the agent he was looking for. Sweets had been terrified that his good friend would forgo a partner when he couldn't be in the field with Brennan or himself and that no man would have his back. Sweets had been determined to fix that problem and he'd talked to Aubrey before the FBI Agent had ever met Booth. He'd gone so far as to give Booth's personnel file to the young agent, so Aubrey would understand who he was dealing with.

Booth was probably the most complicated man Sweets had ever had to deal with and if Aubrey was going to be the man Sweets needed him to be, then Aubrey needed to know the truth about Booth and that truth was Booth had suffered many setbacks in his life, but he was strong and he fought to be a good man on a daily basis. It was amazing to Sweets that Booth had been through so much in his life and yet he was mentally healthy. Yes, isolated and distrustful, but somehow healthy none the less.

Sweets had thought long and hard about divulging Booth's past to the other agent, but there were few people that knew Booth's history besides Brennan, Caroline and a few people at the Lab. Booth needed someone to trust him and the things he did and that trust needed come from the knowledge of what kind of man Booth was. As far was Sweets was concerned, Aubrey was a man Booth could count on.

After the psychologist had died, Booth had resisted letting Aubrey into his life. As far as Booth was concerned the only one that he could count on was Brennan and if need be, the squints at the Lab. No one at the Hoover was trustworthy and he wasn't about to risk his life trusting anyone there again. It was Brennan's stubbornness that forced Booth to give Aubrey a chance and after working with him, he let his guard down at least partially, but not fully. Aubrey worked well with him and he appreciated it, but Booth just couldn't bring himself to completely let Aubrey in to his life. He'd been betrayed too many times in his life.

Booth was buffeted with changes in his life and though some of those changes were good, they were more than he could handle. He felt out of control and floundered in a sea that seemed to want to pull him under. Desperate for some control in his life, he'd returned to gambling and that had almost destroyed his personal life. In the end it would have destroyed his professional life too if Brennan and Aubrey hadn't intervened.

Though Booth owed Aubrey for helping out, he still kept Aubrey at arms-length. He worked with him, but still wasn't sure he wanted to give the man his complete trust.

After his brother was killed and he had come close to dying himself, Booth finally realized that he couldn't continue to put his life in reckless danger. His reliance on Brennan was alright under normal conditions, but since he wanted to keep her out of dangerous situations because of their children he had to give in and accept a new partner and that was Aubrey.

It also helped that Aubrey had worked hard to earn that trust. When Booth was unable to track down his brother's ashes, Aubrey had tried to help by sending techs to the delivery warehouse to look for the box containing Jared's ashes. He hadn't been successful, but he'd tried. Then he'd arranged to move out of Booth's old office and had Booth's gear placed in the room letting Booth reclaim the office he'd had for so many years. As far as Aubrey was concerned, Booth didn't belong in the bullpen and Aubrey did some talking with the Deputy Director to make sure that Booth was given an office to match his rank. The lack of love the FBI gave Booth was appalling to Aubrey and he wanted to fix that too. Booth appreciated the effort and realized that Aubrey was someone he could trust, perhaps someone he should have trusted when Jared came to him with his problem, but he couldn't change the past, he could only move forward into the future.

"So Bones and I are going to have a wake for Jared this weekend." Booth sat behind his desk and stared at the younger Agent. "It's just a barbeque, beer and soda, some vegetarian stuff that Bones likes to cook, a cake, I don't know stuff. Want to come?"

Surprised that he was being invited, Aubrey sat down across from Booth's desk and smiled. "Well sure. Thanks." He had noticed that Booth was much friendlier to him and he thought it was about time. As far as Aubrey was concerned, Booth wasn't going to find a better partner than he was. "Do I need to bring anything? Wine, cookies . . . anything?"

"Not unless you want to eat something special." Booth thought about the list of food that Brennan was making and the dishes that Cam and Angela had promised to bring. "Bones and Angela and Cam are making a lot of salads and side dishes and desserts and I'm barbequing a brisket, some hotdogs and hamburgers and vegetable kabobs. I think we should have something you can eat."

His mouth watering just thinking about barbeque brisket, Aubrey swallowed and nodded his head. "Sounds good. I'll bring my appetite."

"Um, yeah." The way the younger man ate, Booth realized he might have to cook two briskets just to make sure he didn't run out. His grill was big enough to handle the load, but that was just theoretical. He'd never actually cooked two briskets at the same time before. "If you want to invite a friend you can."

Aubrey immediately thought of the intern Jessica Warren and decided not to ask her. So far they were just doing friend things and a wake seemed kind of intimate to him. Well, not intimate, but it was a party to celebrate Booth's brother's life and that was very personal. Booth was a private man and Aubrey was shocked he was invited. He wasn't going to push his luck and bring a squint to the party. "Nah, I'm not dating anyone right now."

"Okay, but if you want to invite a friend, it's okay." Booth thought about who was coming to the party and it angered him that Padme had refused his invitation. He had offered her an olive branch and she'd chopped it in half. She blamed him for Jared's death and she never wanted to see Booth or any of his family again. Booth had done his best to save his brother and in the end he had failed. If Padme wanted to blame him, then that was her business. He refused to accept the blame. Jared had been the one to connect to criminals and Booth had tried to help him. It hadn't worked out, but he wasn't sure what else he could have done. Jared had made a lot of poor decisions in his life and he'd paid a harsh price in the end. "All the squints have been invited, Caroline and her foster sons are coming . . . I don't have any family left except for my mother and she can't come." Not that he'd invited her. His mother had her new family and her sons from her previous marriage really didn't fit into that life. It was sad Booth supposed, but that was also life and one he was used to. He really hadn't had a mother since he was twelve years old and he didn't really need one now. "Anyway come around noon."

Savoring the invitation, Aubrey stood up and moved towards the door. "I'll be there. I may bring some cupcakes for the munchkins."

"Chocolate." Booth blurted it out before Aubrey was out of the office. "Christine loves chocolate."

"Well, who doesn't?" Amused, Aubrey was careful not to laugh. He knew that Booth was a sucker for chocolate. "I've got work to do."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

"I invited Aubrey to the wake." Booth pulled plates from the cabinet to set the table. Brennan was busy checking on the baked eggplant and the baked chicken beside it in the oven. "That's good, Booth. Since he's your partner now, he should be included in our family gatherings."

"Partner?" This was the first time Booth had heard Brennan call someone other than herself his partner. "Um, yeah, I guess he is."

Brennan felt it was kind of odd to call Aubrey Booth's partner, but in reality he was. Brennan had decided to stay in the Lab more often since she now had two children and it wasn't her intention to ever make them orphans. She could no longer place herself in harm's way with Booth. Her husband had needed a partner that he could count on and she would always be grateful to Sweets that he'd gone through the process of searching for someone that Booth could put his trust in. She had trusted Sweets and he'd come up with just the partner Booth needed. "Since he has quite an amazing ability to consume mass quantities of food, I probably should make extra servings of baked beans and salad. Oh and of course you should probably double the amount of meat you're going to grill."

"Mass quantities." Booth laughed as he retrieved some forks and knives from the drawer near the stove. "Good one Bones."

Not sure why what she had said was funny, Brennan stopped Booth by placing her hand on Booth's arm. "I don't understand. Why is that funny?"

A little surprised, Booth shook his head, leaned over and kissed her. "The Coneheads on Saturday Night Live? They were aliens from the planet Remulak. They eat mass quantities of food and drink mass quantities of beer . . . Hey maybe Aubrey is from Remulak."

"Booth that is clearly a television show." Brennan was flabbergasted sometimes at the things her husband believed. "There are no verifiable aliens from other planets on Earth. In fact . . . ."

Careful not to drop them, Booth placed the flatware on the counter beside him, placed his arms around Brennan and kissed her deeply. Once he was sure they were both breathless, Booth separated his lips from hers and smiled. "Never change, Bones. I love you just the way you are."

Amused, Brennan patted his cheek. "You're very obvious sometimes, Booth. I know you kiss me sometimes when you don't wish me to lecture you. I'm not completely clueless."

"And I never said you were." Booth picked up the knives and forks again. "Still any excuse to kiss you, you know?"

"Yes, I know." Brennan shook her head and turned her attention to the green beans simmering on the stove.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. I really appreciate it.


	49. Chapter 49

(The Method in the Madness)

This chapter is definitely rated a very strong 'T'.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

If there was anything Booth wasn't really thrilled about doing it was underwear shopping. He didn't mind buying t-shirts or suits and even socks were okay since he was always on the lookout for outrageously colored one, but underwear was just plain boring. Sometimes he was lucky and he'd stumble upon a pair of boxers that had holiday themes printed on them and he always bought those. He loved the idea that his underwear and socks were celebrating holidays even if no one else knew. Well almost no one knew.

Usually he just bought bold colors in boxers and the occasional white briefs, but since most men's stores just carried the bare essentials his underwear never seemed to be the symbols of quiet rebellions that his socks and ties were. How was a guy supposed to suppress other impulses with boring underwear?

A new men's store opened up at the mall and Agent Harris had told him that they had a great selection of ties along with suits. In need of a new tie, Booth dropped by the mall one evening on the way home from work and was pleased to see the smart collection of ties and matching socks in the back of the store. After picking out two bold ties and matching socks, he turned down an aisle to head towards the checkout area when he saw a display of men's boxers. Surprised to see a wide variety and designs, Booth looked through them and found a pair of Captain America boxers and a pair of Superman boxers, both of them his size.

As he held them in his hands, debating whether or not he really wanted them, a sales clerk came by and asked him if he needed help with his purchase. His eyes on the boxers and not on the young woman standing next to him, Booth shook his head. "I don't know . . . Do guys really buy these?"

She took her job seriously and Elaine wanted to make sure her customers got what they wanted when it came to fashion wear. "Yes Sir. In fact those two are the last pair we have of that particular design. We will be getting more in the next shipment, but if you are interested you may want to buy them now. I have no idea what designs will be in the next batch. My manager seems to think we may be getting Iron Man and Batman next, but he isn't really sure."

Since Booth identified with Captain America and Superman more than any other super heroes, Booth seriously considered buying them. Turning to the clerk, Booth held them up and in all seriousness ask her, "Do you think these are symbols of quiet rebellions?"

A little puzzled, Elaine stared at them for a moment and finally nodded her head. "Probably, I mean they are symbols of law enforcement, but outside of the legal system . . . yeah, I think you could say that."

Slowly nodding his head, Booth bit his lower lip and finally made a decision. "Okay, I'll take these plus the ties and socks."

Elaine loved working with the public. People constantly surprised her and who would have thought that she'd have been asked a philosophical question using underwear as the prop in the conversation? _This guy is so cool. Too bad he's as old as my Dad though._

Ooooooooooooooo

The new underwear sat in his drawer for a couple of weeks. After he bought them he wasn't sure if he would ever wear them. He liked them because they fit his personality, but they were something a kid would wear not the head of Major Crimes for the FBI. On the other hand, sometimes he thought of himself as Captain America especially when he'd closed a particularly gruesome case. And who would ever see them besides Bones? Hopefully no one. Of course accidents happen and wouldn't that be an interesting turn of events if they rushed him to the hospital and found him wearing Captain America underwear? On the other hand, well fuck it, it was his right to wear what the hell he wanted to wear. Most people wouldn't have the guts to say anything to him about it that's for sure or at least not twice.

Still, Booth hesitated and decided to wait until the weekend to try them on. In the meantime, solid black silk boxers were pretty sexy and a matching black t-shirt that barely covered his navel would help him show off his obliques for Brennan. She had noticed that he'd been working on those lately when he worked out at the gym and she didn't seem to be able to keep her hands to herself the last few days. If he'd known that would rev her up her engines, he'd have worked on those earlier in their relationship.

While he was taking a hot bath, Brennan entered their bedroom and heard Booth stepping into the tub in the other room. Curious, she opened Booth's underwear drawer to see if he'd chosen his new superhero underwear or not. Much to her disappointment they were still in the drawer. Puzzled why he'd bought them and yet refused to wear them, she pulled out the Superman boxers and held them against her hips. Even though the underwear was too large, she thought a strategically placed safety pin in the back would take care of the problem.

As Booth took his bath, Brennan closed the bedroom door, locked it, stripped and pulled on Booth's Superman underwear. A safety pin did help her keep them from dribbling down her legs so her plan was in motion. Rummaging through her dresser, she found a red bra she hadn't worn in ages and slipped that on too. A little tight since she had grown a cup size courtesy of her pregnancy, she carefully turned from side to side looking into the mirror to make sure she was projecting the image she'd hoped for.

Satisfied with how she looked, she moved across the bedroom and entered the bathroom. Her mate seemed to be enjoying his steamy bath and he appeared to be utterly relaxed. Booth's eyes were closed and he was leaning against the back of the tub, the back of his head against the wall. The sight of her beautiful husband naked before her admiring eyes always managed to short-circuit her thinking for a minute or so, but that was a price she was willing to pay.

Aware that she had entered the room, Booth smiled. "Okay quit ogling me Bones. I'm not a piece of meat."

Gathering her thoughts, Brennan smiled and placed her hands on her hips, trying to imitate the stance of a superhero. "Well, there is so much to ogle, Booth."

Amused, Booth opened his eyes and turned to stare at his lover. "Holy shit, Bones." Turned on with the sight of Brennan in his underwear, Booth licked his lips and let his gaze travel over her body. "You look pretty damn good in my underwear . . . you probably should move closer so I can get a better look though."

This is a game they had played before. Slowly, Brennan moved closer until she was standing next to the tub staring down at Booth's attributes. "I'm Superwoman."

"You sure are." Booth moved his hand and rested it on the outside of her thigh. "Baby you're the best Superwoman I've ever seen."

Choosing to overlook the use of baby, Brennan placed her hands on her bare sides and thrust her chest out so that her breasts were even more prominent. She knew Booth was very interested in her breasts ever since Christine had been born. Brennan had discovered that her extra cup size wasn't going to shrink after all, much to Booth's delight. "I am quite beautiful."

"You're damn right you are." Booth couldn't help himself and stared at her breasts thanking God for the birth of their daughter. He had loved the shape of her body before her pregnancy, but now she was even more of everything he loved about her. "You look absolutely super woman."

His word play was very amusing and Brennan laughed. "Of course, I'd love to see these on you too. I'm sure your body would look super in them. Of course I enjoy looking at you just the way you are right now too."

"I'll bet." Booth knew his Bones and he knew that her engines were practically thrumming. Slowly standing up, he stepped out of the tub, forcing Brennan to step back. His eyes still on her, Booth grabbed the towel waiting on the edge of the tub and slowly dried his body, moving so that most of his body was exposed to her while he ran the towel around the important parts. As he dried off, he noticed her eyeing his penis and that aroused him as it usually did. Flinging the towel towards the clothes hamper he quickly turned and grabbed Brennan pulling her against his body. "See anything you like?"

Her heart rate increased, her skin warm where she was pressed against him, Brennan placed her hands around his neck and kissed him. Their kiss passionate and on the verge of exploding into much more, both were shocked when they heard a knock on their bedroom door. Unwilling to let go of Brennan's body, Booth called out. "What the hell do you want, Sweets?" His voice was hoarse and filled with raw emotion.

A faint voice could be heard on the other side of the locked bedroom door. "You wanted me to remind you the next time I was going to watch a Kung Fu movie. I'm going to watch 'Fists of Death' in a few minutes."

Shaking his head in disbelief, Booth called out. "Go away, Sweets." Barely able to control himself, Booth picked up an almost breathless Brennan and carried her into their bedroom. Carefully placing her down on their bed, he leaned down, unclasped her bra and slipped it down her arms. "Magnificent."

"Booth, we can watch something else if you want to." Sweets was lonely and he'd hoped that Booth would watch a movie with him.

Desperate for Sweets to leave him alone, Booth did the only thing he could think of. "Sweets, if you don't leave me alone, I'm going to fucking kill you."

Shocked, Sweets thought about it for a few seconds and realized his faux paus. "Oh, sorry . . . sorry." Moving away from the door he chuckled. "Damn I hope I have his energy when I'm his age."

Booth looked down at Brennan's shocked face and shrugged his shoulders. "I got rid of him didn't I?"

Since Sweets seemed to be no longer at their door, Brennan nodded her head. "Stop talking, more kissing."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	50. Chapter 50

(Season 6)

Okay, I need to issue a serious tissue alert for this chapter.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

He was using jogging as a way to release some of his pent up anger and frustration. Right or wrong, once he'd been rejected by Hannah, Booth had immediately given up on that relationship. She hadn't wanted the same things he did and once again he was alone. At first he'd been filled with rage. He'd tried so hard to be the perfect boyfriend and that hadn't seem to make an impression with Hannah all. No matter what he did, no woman wanted what he was offering and he didn't understand why.

Several days removed from that awful evening and Booth was starting to accept that he would probably always be alone. All he had ever wanted was someone to love him and it looked like that was never going to happen.

While he circled the park, his pace steady, his breathing even, he noticed a young dog lying under some bushes. The first time he jogged past the animal and circled the park once more, but when the dog was still there the second time he passed the bush, he stopped and moved off the path. Slowly moving towards the dog, he could see it was a mixed breed of some kind. If anything she looked like a Labrador retriever puppy, but as he got closer he could tell the dog was probably closer to a year old and not a Lab. The dog was thin and clearly hadn't been fed in a while. "Hey girl."

He tried to get close enough to touch her, but she crawled further under the bushes, whining in fear. Afraid he might hurt her if he grabbed her, Booth thought over his options, stood up and leaned over the bush. "I'll be right back Sweetheart. Just stay there."

After leaving the park, he jogged down the street to a convenience store and bought a few cans of dog food, two bottles of water and a can opener. Carrying them in a bag, he jogged back into the park and back to the spot where he'd last seen the dog. Relieved that she was still there, he sat down next to the bush, opened one of the cans, removed the lid and used his finger to stir up the food so it wasn't a solid mass of food. "Yum, this looks really good."

Slowly, he placed the can on the ground near the bush and waited to see what would happen. Soon the dog crawled out into the open and stared at the can and then at Booth. Booth realized that the can was too close to him, so he pushed it closer to the dog and waited.

Her hunger overcoming her fear, the wary young dog moved slowly to the can and soon was eating. She was so hungry she whined while she ate, once in a while pausing to look at the man who had decided to feed her. "See, I told you it was good. It should be for what that store charged me for that can of food."

Once the can was empty, the dog lay down next the can, panting. Booth was concerned that she might be dehydrated, so he opened one of the bottles of water and poured some of it in to the now empty can.

Her tongue quickly lapped up the water and once that was done, looked at her benefactor clearing hoping for more. A gentle smile playing on his lips, Booth filled the can with water again. "I know the water probably tastes like crap since you had dog food in there, but it's wet and you need water."

While she drank for the second time, Booth slowly moved his hand over and stroked the top of her head. At first she stepped back and stared at Booth as if judging him. Finally making a decision, she moved back to the can and continued to drink while Booth stroked the top of her head with two fingers. "What am I going to do with you? I can't leave you out here. You'll starve to death or a coyote will come along and kill you."

He spoke softly and his fingers were feather light on her head. Once the dog was done drinking, much to Booth's surprise, she moved closer to him and lay down next to his knee. Moving his hand, he started stroking her side. "I wish I knew who dumped you out here. I'd beat his ass from here to Sunday." His voice low and filled with kindness, Booth continued to stroke the dog's side. "You're a cute little thing. I know you're not a puppy, more like a teenager . . . I've always wanted a dog, but I was in the army and moved around a lot and now I work for the FBI and sometimes I'm only home for a few hours before I'm gone again. It's not a great life for a dog . . . Would you like to come home with me? We could give it a try?"

The dog was relaxed and it appeared that she trusted Booth. Just as a test, Booth leaned over and picked her up and placed her on his lap. Much to his surprise, she whined a little, but didn't move. As he continued to massage her back, he moved his hands and started to massage her legs one by one. "You don't look hurt, just starved . . . You're a nice little dog, I don't know why someone would just dump you here."

Soon the dog was asleep and Booth's heart seemed to swell with pride. He loved that the dog trusted him and it made him feel wanted. Soon he stood up, the dog firmly in his arms and with his bag of dog food and water, he left the park. Once he was at his SUV, he placed the dog on the front seat and moved around to the driver's side. Once he was inside the truck, he spent several minutes stroking the dog's head and side while the dog continued to sleep.

Worried about the dog's health, he drove over to a veterinarian near his apartment building and carried the dog inside. The dog awake by then, trembled in his arms, but made no attempt to escape. "It's okay Sweetheart, I just want a vet to look at you and make sure you're okay."

After waiting for thirty minutes, Booth and his dog was shown to an inner room and the Vet was in the room shortly after that. "Well, Mr. Booth, what seems to be the problem?"

"I found her in the park." Booth laid the dog on the table, but as soon as she was down, she turned and buried her face in Booth's shirt. "She's starving. I gave her a can full of dog food and two cans of water. She ate pretty good and she didn't seem to have any trouble drinking. I checked her out as best as I could and I don't see any broken bones."

"Well, let me look her over." Dr. Kirby did a thorough examination and finally spoke to Booth. "She has a bad heart, Mr. Booth. It's probably why the owner threw her away. People can be cruel. They don't want to try to take care of a sick animal or spend the money so they just put them on the street instead of taking them to the Humane Society or Animal Control. Would you like me to put her to sleep? She isn't in pain, but she clearly is very sick and probably won't live very long."

Gently picking her up, Booth shook his head. "Hell no. What the hell? She's just a baby and no one has bothered to try to love her. They just threw her away, well that isn't right. I don't care if she only has two weeks to live, you aren't putting her to sleep. She deserves a little love and kindness before she has to go."

Impressed with Booth's protection of the little dog, Dr. Kirby nodded his head. "It was just a suggestion. Like I said she isn't in any pain. Let me give her some shots, rabies and distemper to protect her and you. You can take her home if that's what you want to do."

Booth thought it over for a second and placed her back on the table, his arms still around her. "Okay give her the shots and I'll take her home. I don't want her to die alone and unloved. No one deserves that."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Booth folded two blankets and placed them on the floor near his bed. Satisfied that it was probably comfortable, he placed a bowl of water in the kitchen and vowed to go to the store to buy some dry dog food the next day. He wanted his dog to have access to food when he was gone during the day. He also placed some plastic garbage bags on the floor in the bathroom and placed some newspaper on top. He hoped she was house broke, but if she wasn't he thought Sunday would at least give him a chance to begin to train her.

As he had moved around the apartment, the dog had followed behind him, observing. When he had placed the water down, she had took a healthy drink, wagging her tail slowly as she drank. Curious about the paper on the floor, she had moved on it once it was down and peed on it much to Booth's delight. "Hey, you know what that's for. That's great. Good dog." He patted her head and made a great show of praising her. "You know I have to give you a name. Let me think about it. I'll come up with a great name. I'm good at that. I give everyone great nicknames."

After he removed the soiled paper and threw it away, he replaced it with more newspaper and left the room, the dog following him. "Well, let's watch a game. The Nationals should be on right now." Settled on the couch, Booth turned on the TV. As he flipped through the channels, the dog stood on her back legs and whined. Booth looked at her for a moment and shrugged his shoulders. "What the hell, come on." Booth patted the couch and when he realized she wasn't going to jump up on the couch, he picked her up and placed her on the couch next to him. Her tail thumping the cushion, she stared at her owner for a few seconds and then curled up next to his thigh. Booth rested his hand on her back and gave her a light massage. "I know some people don't like their pets on furniture, but what the hell. You live here too."

The game started, Booth leaned back and relaxed. He hadn't been this relaxed since Hannah had left. Maybe things weren't so terrible after all. "Oh I think I have the perfect name for you. How about Honey? You like that?" Honey didn't react to her new name, but continued to lie quietly next to her owner. Her breathing was soft and she was soon asleep secure that the man who had found her loved her and would take care of her.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Booth didn't mention Honey to anyone he knew, not even Brennan. It wasn't like he was trying to keep a secret. He just didn't want to share her with anyone. He knew she wasn't going to live very long and listening to her at night, he'd hear her labored breathing if she had done too much activity before bedtime. Worried about her, Booth moved the blankets onto the right side of the bed and placed her next to him each night. When she was huffing and having trouble breathing, he would stroke her back and comfort her until her breathing returned to normal.

Every day, if he wasn't working on a case, he came home at lunch time and carried his dog downstairs and down the street to the small park located there. He watched over her as she did her business and afterward he cleaned it up and disposed the waste in a trash barrel located at the entrance to the park. Honey liked to smell the grass and would lay in it for a few minutes while Booth stood nearby giving her a chance to breathe in fresh air. Every evening he came home and repeated the process. Once she had had a little break at the park, he would carry her back to the apartment, feed her and himself and they would both sit on the couch while a game or movie played on television.

Booth was an active man, but his first concern at the moment was his dog. He was content to be with Honey and he found over the weeks that his anger at the world had melted away. He had never really owned a dog before and he hadn't really realized that a dog could be so comforting and loving. Where ever he was in the apartment, Honey could be found. If Booth took a long bath, Honey waited patiently in the bathroom, lying on the rug while Booth soaked his tired aching muscles. If he was cooking, Honey sat in the kitchen doorway with a hopeful look on her face. Booth usually ended up placing a small spoonful of whatever he'd cooked in a bowl, let it cool and gave it to Honey for an evening snack. While Booth watched television, he could count on Honey lying on the couch next to him, resting. All in all, it was a boring life and yet Booth was quite satisfied with it. He was responsible for someone that needed him and he knew that he needed that. He loved to be needed and he knew that Honey trusted him and perhaps even loved him.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

One evening Booth came home and found Honey in his bedroom, lying near the bed, her breathing was labored and she was having trouble catching her breath. Afraid for her, he picked up her up and placed her on the blankets on his bed. Lying next to her, he stroked her side and told her that he loved her over and over. Honey kept her eyes on her man and continued to labor to breathe, but she knew she wasn't alone and that Booth loved her very much. Soon she stopped breathing and Booth knew she was gone.

Tears sliding down his cheeks, Booth picked up her still body and held her against his chest, crying for his loss. After a while, he got out of bed and carried Honey's body into the bathroom where he retrieved a clean sheet and gently wrapped up her in it. That accomplished, he changed his clothes and carried her down to his SUV. Once on the road he stopped at a Walmart and bought a small plastic box and a shovel. Driving to Shenandoah National Park he found a parking lot and waited for the sun to rise. Before he carried out his mission, he called Charlie at work and told him he was sick and he wouldn't be in that day. That call complete, Booth picked up Honey, kissed her sheet covered body, placed her in the box and carried it and the shovel into the forest. After a few miles and deep in the woods, he dug a hole and placed the box inside. Throwing a little stuffed bone that Honey loved to chew on, on top of the box, Booth quickly covered the small grave with dirt and tried to make the area look undisturbed. He leveled the dirt and moved some branches and leaves over the grave to make it appear less obvious that someone had buried something there.

That accomplished, Booth sat down next to the spot where Honey was buried and let himself cry again. Sitting there, grieving for someone who had loved him, Booth knew he would probably never get another dog again in his life. Honey had been the best and how could he top the happiness he had had with her? She had come into his life when he needed it and his tears were a small price to pay for the few weeks of love that she had given him.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Sorry, I know this is sad, but I really wanted to write it. I only edited it once since it made me sad to read it, so if you find any errors, I apologize.

A/N: I had a cat that had a serious heart problem. She died when she was eleven months old because of it. I used that experience to write this story. By the way, her name was Tigger and she was a sweetheart.


	51. Chapter 51

(Season 10)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Booth confused her for a long time. The more she got to know him, the more Brennan realized that Booth was by no means a simple man. One minute he could be compassionate and kind and the next minute he could exude danger and menace. He had many complex layers and most of them were carefully hidden from the world.

Brennan had tried to place him in a niche when she first met him. She found it easier to label everyone she met, so she knew how to deal with them. Booth was a Federal Agent and worked for the FBI. He seemed to fit the stereotype for law enforcement officers and that niche held for a few weeks. As they worked cases and as she saw the more personal side of him, she started to think of Booth as an alpha-male. Strong when he had to be, calm and caring with those that he cared for. A kind and caring father and a friend you could count on.

But there were moments when he admitted to things that made her wonder about him. Early in their partnership they had been involved in looking for a kidnapped child. The boy had been kidnapped to keep his father from testifying against a company that had produced faulty body armor for the Army. While they were searching for the child, Booth had mentioned that he understood how the kidnappers thought because he used to do work like that himself. At first she had thought he meant rescue work, but he had set her straight. He'd been the person that some people needed to be rescued from. She hadn't pursued that piece of information, but it was forever in the back of her mind.

Year after year, Brennan had studied Booth and finally realized that there was a simple truth about him and it had taken a poem by William Blake to unearth that truth about her friend and partner. One Saturday, while flipping through a book of poetry, Brennan came across the poem 'The Tyger'. The way she understood it, the tyger (or tiger in modern spelling) has a dual image. The tiger is beautiful and filled with grace and power. The tiger also represents primal ferocity. The hand that created the lamb in the field also created the tiger in the forest and that creator was proud of his or her creations. When she read Blake's works it was clear that the poet had believed that to achieve truth you have to see the dichotomy of nature, with innocence we also have experience.

Their lives were intertwined in such a way that when Booth and Brennan were separated they both suffered. While Booth had languished in prison, Brennan had suffered while trying to get him back home. Oddly enough, Blake's poem 'The Tyger' had given her a little bit of comfort. She was terrified that someday she would get a call that would end her connection to Booth. She lived in fear that he would be murdered in prison and yet in the back of her mind, she knew that the inmates and guards at the prison had no idea who they were dealing with. Booth was a tiger in their midst, a formidable beast of great strength and ferocity and they didn't seem to understand that. Brennan knew that the dangerous side of Booth, the menacing Booth would fight to the end and he would not go down alone. This made her desperate enough to blackmail a federal prosecutor to get her husband freed from prison. When Booth was free at last, Brennan rejoiced to see him alive and once again with her, their partnership once more centered and whole.

Once out of prison, it had taken Booth a while to learn to relax and to let his guard down. He wanted to be the man he had been before he was attacked in his own home, but he found it hard to let go of the injustice and Brennan knew that. Booth was confused and troubled about the things that had been done to him. He found it hard to trust anyone. The tiger was still in charge and those around him seemed to sense that. Booth exuded strength and menace, but after a while, Brennan started to see the other side of her man too. He was trying to beat the beast back and Brennan loved him for trying. She also knew that he needed help.

With that in mind, Brennan searched for a gift to give to Booth that would show him what she thought of him. He was her partner, her friend and her lover. They were married and they had a child together. She loved him so much. She tried to tell him that every day and yet she rarely spoke of why she loved him. She didn't feel that she was capable of explaining her emotional ties to her husband and yet he needed to hear it. He needed to understand that she was by his side for a reason.

ooooooooooooooooo

In his office, Booth was facing a mound of paper work resting on top of his desk and for some unknown reason he was reluctant to begin. As he stared at the folders, he realized that the ordinariness of the work waiting for him was something that he had actually craved while he'd been away from the FBI. When he touched the folders, when he began the work he had so desperately wanted he knew that his life would begin again and he hesitated to let that happen. He was still wary of those around him. He had been betrayed and yet those betrayers had been exposed and they were no longer free men. Picking up his pen, he knew that once he began to do the ordinary part of his job that would mean that the world was once more spinning in the right direction and that was something he thought would never happen again.

While he procrastinated, he picked up the bag he had brought in with him that day, intending to remove the latest framed picture of Brennan and Christine so he could place it on his desk. Rummaging through the bag, he found a figurine and pulled it from the bag. Surprised, he found that he was holding a small statue of a pacing tiger. The artist who had crafted the mold to make this statue had obviously studied tigers and their physiology. The muscles under the fur were solid and rippled while he paced and yet the large cat was beautiful and in a way, graceful. Booth had always thought of Brennan as being a tigress. Beautiful but not someone to fuck with and now here was a statue of a tiger in his bag.

The paper work temporarily forgotten, Booth called his wife. "Hey Bones, remember a couple of years ago when we had that case about the illegal animal trade? I said you were like the tiger, beautiful and rare. Remember that? Is that why you gave me the tiger?"

 _Oh you found it . . . Booth I didn't buy it because you think I'm like a tiger I bought it because I think that you have similar qualities of a tiger._

"Me?" Booth stared the figurine and tried to see what she was talking about. "What similar qualities?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know, but he'd asked and he was waiting for the answer. _Please don't tell me I'm capable of great violence. I hated it when she said that to me years ago and I don't want to hear that now._ For a while, Booth didn't think she was going to answer since she waited so long to say anything.

 _I think I'd like to talk about this at home if that's okay. My reasoning is complicated and I don't want to explain it in a short phone conversation._

"Sure, okay." Booth stared at the tiger and shrugged his shoulders. "We'll talk about it tonight."

 _Thank you, Booth. In the meantime, would you like to meet me for lunch at the diner?_

"Sure thing." Finally ready to tackle his work, Booth placed the tiger on his desk near the Bobble head Bobby. "I love you Bones."

 _I love you too._

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Christine was in bed and both Booth and Brennan were sitting on the couch, a glass of wine in their hand enjoying each other's company. After sipping some of the dark red wine, Booth placed the glass down on the coffee table and turned to face Brennan. "Why do I remind you of a tiger?"

She had wanted this conversation and the tiger was her way of starting it. "I read a poem once by William Blake. It was about a tiger and what makes a tiger a tiger . . . We basically have two views of the tiger. One is that the tiger is beautiful. It's very graceful when it moves and yet it is also filled with power and menace. There is a terrible symmetry in the tiger. In the poem, Blake questions who would have dared to create such terrible symmetry in one creature. Whoever made the tiger was proud of his creation and why not since that creator also created the lamb."

He thought about it for a few minutes and nodded his head. "God created everything, the heavens and the earth. He created all creatures great and small. Of course he was proud of his creations. But you know in nature, there really isn't good or evil. The tiger is a tiger. Yeah, he's beautiful, but he's deadly too . . . are you afraid of me?" This conversation was opening up a subject that he'd been thinking about for a while. The things he had done in the past had been terrible, but he had to do them and sometimes he worried that Brennan might grow to fear him. He knew who he was and he knew he was capable of killing when he had to, but he felt that he was also filled with mercy when it was needed.

The last few months had been filled with fear and anger and he'd been a soldier in a battle between good and evil. He just wasn't sure if Brennan understood what he'd really gone through. In prison he'd felt abandoned by God and yet he knew that he had to fight the battles he was forced into. He was on the side of good, but he had been abandoned and for a while he had fought that battle alone. She didn't understand his faith at all and the fact that he had lost some of that faith had weighed on him greatly. He worried that she thought he had changed and that the darkness inside him worried her. "I would never hurt you or Christine. I'm still me."

Appalled that Booth had managed to twist what she was trying to say into something that was the complete opposite of what she was trying to say, Brennan turned on the couch so she was completely facing her husband. "Of course not, Booth. Never. You would never hurt me or Christine or Parker or anyone else you love. I absolutely know that . . . I'm sorry, I had no intention of making you think that, Booth . . . Let me try to explain again, the tiger symbolizes how I think of you. You're beautiful both inside and outside, but you're also a warrior. You were made that way and I am so proud of you. While you were in prison, they beat you and harassed you and yet you persevered and protected yourself. For every beating you took you gave some of it back. They didn't break you. That is who you are. You are a powerful adversary and those people in prison with you didn't even realize that. They failed to recognize that they had a formidable enemy locked up with them, but I knew. I knew, Booth. I knew you would stay alive long enough for me to find a way to get you out of there. You were the tiger and they were your prey. Booth I love you. I love you for many reasons. You love me and Christine. You're kind and considerate, but you are fierce and protective when you need to be. You believe in justice and you work so hard to get closure for victims of crimes. You are also a warrior and a patriot. You love your country and you love what it stands for. I could never fear you. I love you, Booth I just wanted you to know why I love you. I rarely tell you why."

Her words were heartfelt, her eyes were filled with unshed tears and Booth knew that the greatest thing that ever happened to him was meeting this wonderful women sitting next to him. She was always in his corner no matter what he was up to and he could count on her to keep him moving in the right direction. She was his rock and he was certain he wouldn't be who he was if she hadn't stepped into his life. "Bones, thank you. I know I was really angry when you bribed the prosecutor to get me out of prison, but that was because I was afraid for you. I was afraid your loyalty to me was going to be repaid with you in prison. I was so damn afraid."

"Yes, I think I knew that." Brennan placed her hand on his knee. "But I couldn't leave you there. We're a team. We fight our battles together. That is our strength. When we're together we are quite formidable and hard to beat. We belong together. I love you so much Booth."

His throat tight with emotion, Booth felt only love for his wife. She was the reason he fought to stay alive in prison and she was the reason he never gave up even when the odds were impossible. "I love you too, Temperance." Standing, he grasped her hands and pulled her to her feet. His arms encircling her, Booth rested his cheek against her cheek and sighed. "I love the tiger you gave me. Thank you." He was still a little uncertain what she had been trying to tell him, but he knew that she had been telling him why she loved him and that's all that mattered to him.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

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The Tyger by William Blake

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,  
In the forests of the night;  
What immortal hand or eye,  
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies,  
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?  
On what wings dare he aspire?  
What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,  
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?  
And when thy heart began to beat,  
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain,  
In what furnace was thy brain?  
What the anvil? what dread grasp,  
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!

When the stars threw down their spears  
And water'd heaven with their tears:  
Did he smile his work to see?  
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger Tyger burning bright,  
In the forests of the night:  
What immortal hand or eye,  
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?


	52. Chapter 52

(The Stiff in the Cliff)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

She overheard Angela and Cam talking as they entered the examination room and she wasn't sure what to make of what she had just heard. "Who was kissing Booth?" If someone was kissing Booth she thought she should find out immediately who it was and determine if she needed to intervene in the matter.

The look of annoyance on Brennan's face made Angela realize that her friend had overheard her talking to Cam and she didn't seem to be happy with that tidbit she'd overheard. "Cam's sister."

Just to make sure that Brennan understood that Booth wasn't doing anything he shouldn't Cam broke into the conversation. "After we were done dating, but before you guys were together."

Relieved and yet still annoyed, Brennan nodded her head and stepped closer to the body she was examining. "No need to make excuses. Booth has kissed many women." Her husband was a very handsome man and she knew that men like him never had trouble seeking out companionship if they wanted it. Still, she didn't like the thought of other women kissing Booth. It just seemed wrong on so many levels. Perhaps she was just being foolish, but Booth belonged to her and she had no intention of sharing him with anyone, ever.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

After a long day examining the victim from their latest case, Brennan entered the house and found Christine in the living room reading one of her recently acquired library books. "Honey where is your Daddy?"

Happy to see her mother, Christine carefully placed her book down on the couch, stood up and kissed her mother. Her smile was quickly replaced with a look of disgust on her face and Christine pointed down the hallway. "Hank has a stinky diaper. Daddy took Hank to his room to fix that."

Amused that Christine couldn't bear the smell of soiled diapers, Brennan patted her child's shoulder. "It's just a normal bodily function, Christine. We all have to eliminate bodily waste."

The smell had been awful coming from her little brother and she didn't care if it was normal or not. "Well, it's nasty."

Since she didn't really want to continue talking about excrement, Brennan moved down the hallway to Hank's bedroom. Stepping into the room, she found Booth placing a clean pair of shorts on their son over his fresh diaper. "I see you've take care of his diaper."

Leaning over his son, Booth kissed Hank and smiled at the boy. "Remember how I told you not to feed him beets?" The boy reached out and grabbed his father's nose, giggling.

Not sure where the conversation was going, Brennan nodded her head. "Yes, of course. You told me that last night."

"Well, if I hadn't known he'd eaten beets for dinner last night, we'd both be at the hospital right now. Damn beets look too much like blood. His diaper scared the shit out of me until I remembered the beets." His son now clean and ready for what came next, Booth placed the boy on his feet on the floor and watched him toddle across the room and out the door. "So how was your day?"

She didn't mean to be so abrupt, but the words came out before she had time to think about it. "Cam told me that you kissed her sister."

"What . . . wait . . . what?" Startled Booth shook his head and tried to figure out why Cam would say something like that. "I did not . . . The only woman I kiss is you. No way did I kiss Felicia. I . . . "

"Booth I don't mean recently." Brennan could see that Booth was outraged and she hadn't meant to upset him. "Cam said it happened after you stopped dating her and before we we're together."

Relieved that this was just a misunderstanding, Booth placed his hands on her sides and pulled her closer. "I don't know why you're talking about that, but give a fella more information when you're talking about stuff like that. I'm not a cheater. I keep all my kisses for you and the kids."

"I know." And she did know that. "To be honest, I felt a momentary twinge of jealousy when she mentioned it. I know you're a strong healthy virile male and I imagine you've been kissed a lot, but I don't really like to think about that."

Her words were spoken softly, but Booth heard a little something else too and it made his heart beat just a little bit faster. Leaning over, he kissed her until they were both locked into a passionate kiss. The sound of Christine yelling at Hank to leave her library books alone, forced them to remember they weren't alone in the house. "Listen, you and me dated a lot in our past, but we're past that now. We're together and the only one that gets kisses around here are you and me . . . maybe we should go see what Hank is doing to Christine's books."

"Maybe we should." Brennan reluctantly moved away from her husband and walked towards the bedroom doorway. Pausing just inside the room, she looked back at Booth and frowned. "Was she a good kisser?"

"Who?" Booth knew who Brennan was talking about, but he hoped she'd just drop the subject.

That wasn't about to happen. "Felicia Saroyan."

Leaning against the changing table, Booth shook his head. "Nah, she was terrible. Worst kisser I ever kissed. She couldn't hold a candle to you."

Pleased with his answer, Brennan smiled. "Good."

As she walked through the doorway and out into the hallway, Booth watched Brennan's lovely body moving in her wonderful way and smiled. _She may be a strong independent woman, but she's my girl and she knows it._

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

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	53. Chapter 53

(After season 12)

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I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

The doors at the main entrance to the Lab looked the same, reinforced bullet proof glass because it wasn't a good idea to just let anyone with a gun be able to shoot the glass and just walk in. Booth had agreed with Hodgins that the glass should be bullet proof, but he managed to make Hodgins see the logic in having a manual override of the door. Electronic overrides could be compromised and he never wanted Brennan or anyone else to be trapped in the Lab again. The manual override was just inside the Lab to the left of the door and ready to be used in an emergency.

Once through the doors, Booth stopped a few feet inside and looked around. "So, the walls are still glass." He wasn't sure he liked that. The original glass walls had been tempered glass which was one of the major reasons why he, Brennan, Hodgins and Angela had not been cut to ribbons when the explosions blew out the glass walls and ceiling. "Maybe they should have put up solid walls instead . . . you know for protection . . . glass . . ."

Jack Hodgins had spied Booth and Brennan enter the Lab and quickly wheeled down the hallway over to where they were standing. "Booth, Dr. B glad to see you . . . what do you think, nice huh?"

Brennan smiled at the temporary head of the department while shifting the box she held in her hands. "Booth doesn't like the glass walls. I for one do like them. I think it's practical."

Not sure why Booth objected to the use of glass walls, Hodgins twirled his chair partially around so he could look down the hallway. "The walls are tempered glass just like before. If they shatter no will be at risk of being shredded."

The image of Brennan lying on the floor in the near darkness, unconscious on a pile of glass, pieces stuck to her face and embedded in her hair just made him hate the idea of glass walls even more. "It's your Lab, I'm just saying that solid walls would be less of a risk."

"Maybe, but slivers and splinters of wood can be just as dangerous a projectile as slivers and shards of glass." Hodgins knew that Booth had never been a fan of the Lab and it looked like the newly refurbished Lab wasn't popular with the Agent either. "We still have privacy blinds so each room can be shut off from the rest of the Lab if the occupier of said office wants to use them . . . As you can see the ceiling has been replaced with tempered glass too. The original glass in the ceiling wasn't bullet proof as we all know." The image of Vincent Nigel-Murray lying on the floor of the platform in a pool of his own blood flashed in everyone's mind. That was a memory that would always be with them. "Yeah . . . um, come on lets go see Dr. B's office." Twirling his wheel chair further around, he started to roll down the hallway.

Amused with her friend's enthusiasm, Brennan followed the entomologist down the hallway, Booth following a little behind her. The box he was carrying was heavy, but he didn't mind. Brennan was also carrying a box, but it contained lighter items. She'd had to replace a lot of items that the old office used to have like a new afghan, an extra set of clothes that Brennan liked to keep in her office just in case of unfortunate accidents, a box of tea bags, two mugs and a box of granola bars. The box also contained Jasper the pig and the broken clock that she wanted to put on the wall behind her desk as a reminder that they had all survived a terrible event and that their world had not ended at 4:47 in the afternoon a few months ago.

Booth's box contained some books, a laptop, a few flash drives containing research Brennan was doing for her latest book as well as lesson plans for the upcoming school year. The box also contained an electric kettle to heat water, so Brennan could make hot tea whenever she wanted it and a container of very expensive coffee that Booth refused to buy when they went shopping. He made Brennan pay for it since it was such a ridiculous price.

As they all approached the office, Brennan noticed that the lights were on in the room. From the hallway, she could see that the room contained a fairly large desk and a comfortable looking chair although she would reserve judgement until she actually sat down on it. There was a new stuffed couch in the place where her old couch had once stood. She noticed it was a dark rust color and thought it was quite pleasing.

Once she was inside the room, she stopped and took in the new shelves taking up space on two of her office walls, most of them were bare. It still upset her that the rare antiques that used to preside in the room had been damaged or destroyed. She glanced quickly to where her aquarium containing her iguana used to be then looked away. The poor creature had died in the explosion and she had vowed to never keep a pet in her office again.

The sound of Booth clearing his throat reminded Brennan that the box he was carrying was heavy and his back muscles might be protesting at the strain being put on them. Hurrying past Hodgins, she moved over to where her desk was and placed the box she was carrying on top of it. Booth followed her over to the desk and placed his box down next to it.

"Seems kind of bare in here." Booth's gazed around the room and noticed a small figurine sitting on the middle shelf along the back wall. Curious, he walked past Hodgins over to the shelf. "Hey, Brainy Smurf." The sight of the little plastic figure pleased Booth and he reached up and picked it up. Turning to face Brennan, he grinned. "Hey, you thought you lost this."

Excited, Brennan hurried over to where Booth was standing and took the Smurf figurine from Booth's hand. "I couldn't find it in the rubble. I thought I'd never see it again."

Hodgins stayed where he was and saw a tear slip down Brennan's cheek. "One of the workers found it. He kept it and when he started putting up shelves, he made sure to place the Smurf on that shelf so it wouldn't get lost. He said he had one of those when he was a kid and he liked the idea that Brainy Smurf had survived the explosion. It sort of became a mascot for him while he was working in the office. I think he wanted to take it home and I told him he could, but he decided that Brainy Smurf belonged here at the Jeffersonian."

"Well, I'm glad he didn't take it home." Brennan brushed the tear from her cheek and stared at the plastic figurine in her hand. "It was a gift from Booth."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know." Hodgins had seen Brainy Smurf in Brennan's office for years, but he hadn't realized that it was gift. "Well, it's a good thing Bill didn't take it with him then."

"Yeah." Booth took the figurine from Brennan and placed it back on the shelf. "It definitely belongs here." Turning to face Brennan, Booth gave her a warm smile. "Welcome back to the Lab, Bones. I know you've been anxious to get back to work."

Brennan stared at Brainy Smurf and nodded her head. "Yes, it's where I belong Booth. This is who I am."

Slowly shaking his head, Booth touched the side of her face. "You belong wherever you want to be, Bones. This place isn't who you are, it's just what you do."

A few years ago and Brennan would have disagreed with her husband, but she knew what he meant now. Booth was right, her job was forensic anthropology, but who she was was Temperance Brennan. An independent woman, strong and quite capable of handling anything thrown at her including being a mother, wife, lover and friend.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	54. Chapter 54

(Season 10)

Thank you for reading my stories. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

"What did you call me?" Booth slammed Agent Tyson against the wall and held his forearm against his throat. "Say it again."

"Agent Booth, let him go." Agent Aubrey pulled on Booth's arm trying to get his attention. "Let him go Booth. He can't breathe."

Barely moving, Booth released some of the pressure against the other agent's throat, but didn't release him. "You think that's a good name to call me? You think I'm a traitor? Is that what you think?"

His hand still on Booth's arm, Aubrey tried once more to get Booth's attention. "Booth, let him go now. He didn't mean anything by it."

Certain Agent Tyson did mean something by it, Booth released the agent, but didn't move away from him. Crowding the smaller agent against the wall, Booth gave Tyson a look that would worry anyone with common sense. "I asked you a question, Tyson and I want an answer."

Nervously, Tyson cleared his throat. He knew that Booth had a quick temper, but in all honesty he thought he'd complimented him. "I don't think you're a traitor, why would I think that? Agent Booker mentioned that he served with you in the Rangers. He said that everyone called you the Assassin. You and Jacob Brodsky were considered the best in the business. He was the Left Hand of God and you were the Assassin. Am I wrong?"

Stepping back, Booth glared at Tyson and gave him one of his more intimidating looks. "I'm not an assassin. I was never an assassin. I was a sniper. I worked for the United States government and I did my job. Assassins are scum . . . they're traitors to their country. Agent Booker is full of shit. I didn't have a fucking nickname in the Rangers and I don't have one now."

"Alright, my mistake." Agent Tyson admired Booth and tried to emulate him or at least the best parts of him, but he also knew that Booth could be a dangerous man and pissing off the agent wasn't the smartest thing to do. "Booker and I were having a few beers last night and he talked about serving with you and Brodsky. He told me about the manhunt for Brodsky a few years ago and he said when he heard about it that he knew if anyone could get Brodsky it was you because you knew how men like Brodsky think and . . . and he mentioned that you had a nickname. If he made it up then how was I to know? I know you set the record for the longest successful shot and you've had a lot of success as a sniper in the past. Talk to Booker if you don't like the nickname. I had nothing do with it, Booth."

Aubrey tugged on Booth's arm finally forcing Booth to step back from Tyson. "Booker is just being his usual pain in the ass self, Booth. He likes attention and he doesn't care how he gets it. . . . Tyson was just repeating what Booker said."

Slightly mollified, Booth stepped back, but continued to stare at the younger agent. "Assassins are criminals, they're murderers. No decent human being would want to be called that. For the sake of your career, stop listening to Booker and stop listening to gossip about me."

Now that Booth was calmer, Agent Tyson felt he could explain a little further. "You know I was a Marine and I was a sniper too, but I didn't have the career you had. Now that I think about it, I guess I wouldn't like it if some called me an assassin either."

Tyson was one of Booth's better agents and he felt the man was going to go far in the FBI. "I need you to keep looking for Hal Fugatt. He botched that bank robbery and by killing that security guard I'm sure he thinks he has nothing to lose. We need to find him before he kills anyone else."

A quick nod of his head and Tyson left the breakroom without the coffee he had come for. As he left the room, the young agent vowed to stay out of Booker's circle of friends. He knew that Booker was a self-centered son-of-a-bitch, but he hadn't realized that Booker was a liar too. Lesson learned.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

"Booker!" Agent Aubrey ran into the troublesome Agent in the parking garage and thought it might be time to have a little talk with the man. "Hold up." As he got closer, he couldn't help but notice the annoyed look on the other agent's face. "I need to talk to you."

"About what? I'm busy." Booker had only been in Major Crimes for three months, but he felt he was the equal of every man in the division. "Booth has been raising hell about Fugatt ever since the bastard killed that guard and wounded that kid. I don't want him pissed at me because you're keeping me from doing my job."

Coldly, Aubrey stared at the agent with hooded eyes. He knew he had a reputation for being easy going, but Booker had never crossed him before. "You're new around here and I've been willing to let you get a feel for how things are done in Major Crimes, but I think it's time you learned the facts of life. Our department is the envy of the rest of the FBI. Our solve rate is phenomenal and that is due to Booth and his partner Dr. Brennan. He had the foresight years ago to hook the Jeffersonian up with our division and we've closed cases that were so cold they were frozen solid. Booth put away a few serial killers over the years and the Director sings his praises and therefore our praises."

Bored with the conversation, Booker didn't see the point of the conversation. "Yeah, so I know all this. Get to the point."

"Booth is the engine on our train and because of him, we all look good." Aubrey saw the agent sigh and he was starting to get pissed. "Booth approved your transfer to our division because of your good work in New York and we needed to replace the scum that worked for Durant. He thought you might fit in, but you've been gossiping about Booth behind his back and it reached not only Booth's ear but the Deputy Director too . . . The Deputy Director has asked me to give you a message and you'd better listen . . . Stop it, stop it right now. Do your job and quit spreading bullshit about Booth. No one wants to hear it."

Filled with anger, Booker puffed out his chest. "I do the jobs I'm given and I'm successful. This is a free country and we have a little thing called the Constitution. You can't suppress my free speech and neither can the Deputy Director. I'm good at my job, I'm damn good at what I do, but Booth isn't the only one that works here. He's a glory hog. That's how he was in the Rangers and I should have known he'd be that way here. We work our asses off and he gets the big office and the hot doctor partner. Well, if I was sleeping with that hot piece of . . ."

Unwilling to let Booker finish, Aubrey shoved the agent against a nearby support column and pressed his arm against the agent's throat, ignoring the irony of the situation. "Shut up . . . I'm trying to warn you, but you seem to be too stupid to get that." Aubrey saw that the agent was having trouble breathing and he eased up the pressure against the man's windpipe. "You've been talking about Booth behind his back, calling him an assassin. Booth heard about it and so did the Deputy Director . . . yeah do you get it now? Booth was almost killed because of that traitor Durant and the pieces of shit that worked for him. They tried to kill him and when that didn't work they tried to destroy his reputation."

Aubrey knew he was being too emotional, but damn it, it just never seemed to end with the bullshit surrounding Booth. "Just in case you don't get it. I run interference for him and for the Assistant Deputy Director and the Deputy Director when they need me to. You think I'm a nice guy, but I'm not. I'm a real bastard when I need to be and if you continue to make trouble in our division you're going to find out what a mistake that really is. We all work our asses off because that's what's expected. Most of us are happy to be in Major Crimes because it's going to help us all advance up the chain someday. The Deputy Director plans on being Director some day and he needs people like Booth and Dr. Brennan to make that happen. He needs all of us to do our jobs. If you don't understand that then I'm starting to wonder how you even got into the FBI. It's not just solving crimes around here. It's politics. You're in Washington D.C. for God's sake. If you can't play the game then you're going to be squashed like a bug . . . stop gossiping about Booth and everyone else around here. Forget how pissed off Booth is right now, the Deputy Director is going to ship your ass off to some Podunk town you've never heard of if you piss him off any more. Leave Booth alone." Stepping back, Aubrey shook his head, turned and left.

Rubbing his throat, Booker watched Aubrey move over to the elevator and wait for the car to arrive. Furious, Booker stayed where he was until the other agent was gone. As soon as he could he planned on filing a complaint against Aubrey.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Fugatt was captured before he could kill anyone else and Booth appreciated the fact that he hadn't had to shoot the idiot to get the job done. He was tired to killing people and he wanted to just have some peace in his life. All in all, he was in a good mood, a very good mood. After spending a romantic night with Brennan while Max took care of Christine, Booth was ready to tackle the world and that included the mountain of paper work sitting on his desk. Fugatt had consumed his attention for the last week and now that the murderer was in jail, Booth could concentrate on the everyday requirements of his job. After sipping some of his coffee, Booth pulled the top folder off of the pile and opened it. A little surprised, Booth stood up and went in search of Agent Aubrey. Finding the man in his office, Booth plopped the folder on the desk in front of his friend. "What the hell is this?"

Nonchalantly, Aubrey flipped it open, looked at it quickly and then closed it. "Seems clear to me. Agent Booker has asked for a transfer to the LA field office and the Deputy Director approved it."

"A transfer?" Booth sat down and stared at his friend. "Why? He campaigned pretty hard to be transferred to the Hoover."

Pursing his lips, Aubrey considered lying and then changed his mind. "Deputy Director Stark heard about the rumor that Booker had spread about you and he didn't like it. He didn't like you being connected to assassination. Your last name just has bad connotations when it comes to the word assassin and he wanted that squelched as quickly as possible. He told me you've been through enough shit and being brushed with that nickname is not going to happen if he can help it."

"He didn't like it." Booth just continued to stare at Aubrey. "It was just bullshit gossip."

Aubrey shrugged his shoulders. "Malicious gossip. Booker didn't know how to play the game around here. Some never learn. The Deputy Director talked to Booker and he decided that Booker wasn't the team player we needed. He asked Booker to transfer and Booker realized he'd better do it . . . okay?"

"I can fight my own battles." Booth hated the idea that what Booker had said had gotten as far as the Deputy Director. "I was going to talk to Booker about it."

A realist, Aubrey sighed. "It's politics, Booth. It's always politics. The Deputy Director is concerned about the image of the FBI and since you're a hero for uncovering that treasonous scum Durant and those traitors working for him he wanted to make sure that no one was staining your name. I wouldn't worry about Booker, I'm not. The Deputy Director laid down the law. If Booker does anything that puts you or us in a bad light Booker's going to find himself in a very bad situation. You know Stark, he's not someone that likes fuck ups. He wants to be Director some day and he's tough enough to make sure no one gets in his way."

"I hate politics." Booth wasn't happy about Booker, but right now he found it really hard to care. "And I didn't uncover Durant's treason by myself. It was a team effort. I had a lot of help from Bones, the squints and you. I'm no hero."

Aubrey shrugged his shoulders. "It's how the press played it and no one cares if you got the hero title. You deserved it after all the shit you were put through. Besides I think hero is a pretty good nickname." His gap tooth smile in evident, Aubrey grinned at his friend.

Not sure whether or not to take Aubrey seriously, Booth decided to just ignore the nickname thing. "I have to leave at six this evening, so don't put anymore shit on my desk today."

Amused, Aubrey chuckled and leaned back against his chair. "Not a problem." He'd noticed how happy his friend was earlier that morning and he didn't think Fugatt's capture the day before had anything to do with it. He was pretty sure that Dr. Brennan was treating Booth like a hero at home and he was happy for him. "Anything else?"

His thoughts on his plans for the evening, Booth shook his head and stood up. "Not a thing."

Once Booth was out of his office, Aubrey turned to face his monitor and smiled. Booth had been through a lot in the last year and if he was happy right now then he deserved it. Aubrey also had meant what he had said about Booth being the hero that got Durant. Someone had to be the face for the FBI when it came to that disaster and since Booth had suffered the most, he deserved the accolades. Aubrey knew his time would come someday and there was plenty of time for his light to shine.

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Just a little something I wanted to write. Let me know if it's any good. Thanks.


	55. Chapter 55

(The Boneless Bride in the River)

Thank you for your continued interest in my stories. I really appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

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He'd known her for a couple of years and he'd worked with her for about 18 months and he was certain he was reading the signs right. Booth was about to lose his partner and he didn't know how to stop it or even if he should. Brennan and Sully were serious about each other and even though he hadn't heard either one of them say they were in love, Booth had to assume that Sully was for it to have gone this far. It didn't matter if Brennan didn't believe in love, she did believe in like and she really liked Sully, apparently more than she liked him.

Booth had thought as long as Brennan stayed his partner, he could stand the thought of her sleeping with other guys. She might be physically attracted to good looking men, but Booth had been certain that none of them could ever capture her heart. That truth had shattered in a myriad of pieces once Sully had entered her life. Booth now knew that it was possible that Sully had found a way to crack that wall that surrounded Brennan's heart and he was going to take her away from the Jeffersonian and Booth. He had thought that wall was impenetrable, but now he knew it was just impenetrable to him.

Sully had bought a boat and he was going to quit the FBI. Booth had been fine with that until Brennan had told him that Sully wanted her to go with him. For just a brief moment, he thought about begging her to stay, but he had stopped himself before he'd made a fool of himself. Calmly he had told her that she should go instead. Like a man trapped in a nightmare he had urged her to go with Sully, knowing that if she did that it would be the end of his partnership and probably his friendship with her. With Sully in her life, she wouldn't need him.

He didn't want to hold her back if she had really found love. Booth knew about her miserable past and if she could find someone that she could really like and be with then he wasn't going to stop her. She deserved to live a life filled with love and affection and if Sully could give her that then Booth was happy for her or at least he could try to be.

Angela thought that Sully lived a wide life and that Booth lived a narrow one. He had denied her observation, but deep down he knew it was true and he was kidding himself. He loved working for the FBI. He was doing great things and he was slowly balancing out his cosmic balance sheet. He had a young son and couldn't move away to somewhere more exciting or exotic. His world was narrow and he didn't want to trap Brennan in that narrow world with him. He had often thought that someday he'd have the guts to tell her how he felt about her and maybe they might try to have a relationship, but now that opportunity was gone and he'd never know if they were meant to be together or not.

The case was over and Booth knew that Brennan was making a decision that would affect them all. If she left, he would have to find another anthropologist to work with him or he'd be chained to his desk, working the job he was being paid to do and not the job he loved to do. Booth wasn't sure if there was another anthropologist that was good enough to replace his partner and if there was if he could work with that scientist. It had taken him months to get used to Brennan's quirks and arrogance, but Booth had learned that she had a right to be arrogant. She was a genius and absolutely brilliant. His partner could get a job wherever she wanted one and not miss a beat in her career. He couldn't do that and that was the reality of the situation.

To be honest with himself, he didn't know if he really loved Brennan or not. Sometimes he thought he did and other times he thought he was in love with the idea of being in love with Brennan. It confused him and his track record with women was pretty terrible which didn't help the situation. He had no intention of giving up looking for someone that wanted to share a life with him, but he wasn't sure that Brennan would have ever seen him as anything other than a friend. Love was complicated and he had failed too many times to assume that he wouldn't destroy his friendship with Brennan trying, so he hadn't really tried.

Oooooooooooooooo

Booth was sitting in his office, when Sully entered his office and plopped down on the chair in front of his desk. His friend looked like he'd been hit by a 2x4, so Booth closed the file on his PC and turned to face his friend. "She told you no?"

Slowly, Sully nodded his head and tried to understand what had happened. "I was so sure she would come with me. What's keeping her here? She couldn't even tell me that. I mean I asked her and she just said she can't. That's it. You know her better than I do, she's your partner, why can't she go with me?"

His thoughts flitting through the reasons why he thought she might have refused, Booth latched on to the one true thing he knew about Brennan. "She hates change. The pyramids are better at change that she is . . . if you stayed . . . maybe you two might have a chance, but asking her to leave a job she loves and worked so hard to obtain . . . you're asking her to give up something she spent years working for . . . if you stayed . . ." He couldn't finish the sentence. The last thing Booth wanted was for Sully to stay and continue to see Brennan, but he couldn't come right and say that. At that moment in time, he was praying to all the saints in the heavens that Sully was going to leave without Brennan and he wasn't about to jinx that.

"But I'm not asking her to stay away forever, just a year." Sully couldn't come to grips with what had happened or didn't want to. "Life if so short and she's not willing to see the fun side of life. She's all business when it comes to bodies and bones and . . . and death. She's surrounded by death. I could show her a different life, but she won't even try."

Booth shrugged his shoulders and realized that he was happy. He hadn't been happy since Brennan had started dating Sully and now that Sully was out of the picture he had his friend and partner back. Maybe someday he might be able to find a way to get past that friendship thing and move towards something else, but right now, he was as happy as a pig in whatever pigs were happy being in. "Bones worked her ass off to get where she is in life, Sully. She's the top of her field and to just walk away from that would be tough. Bones is intense . . . she can't help who she is. I try to get her to relax and sometimes she listens to me and sometimes she doesn't, but she has to be who she is. You don't want to work around murder anymore, but some of us still want to do our jobs and get justice for the ones that didn't have it before. You go and you do what you have to do and I'll take care of Bones. She's not just my partner, we're friends too."

Sully nodded his head. "She needs someone to see the fun side of life, but I've got to tell you, you're intense too. I don't think you have a lot of fun either . . . just my opinion. You're a great guy, but . . . okay, I'm not trying to insult you. This just didn't turn out like I thought it would." Standing, Sully leaned over the desk and shook Booth's hand. "Take care of her Seeley. She's not going to take care of herself. You two need to find a way to have fun and stop obsessing over your jobs. It's going to put you both in an early grave."

Sad for Sully, but glad for himself, Booth shook Sully's hand and watched him leave. He knew he had another chance with his partner and friend and maybe someday he might find the guts to try to move them into something else, but for now, he was happy and he wasn't going to question his good luck.

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Interesting?


	56. Chapter 56

(This chapter takes place right before episode 12x10.)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

He was starting to have second thoughts about his career, but he felt trapped. Wendell had spent a small fortune getting his degrees and he'd dedicated years at the Lab as an intern completing his program. It was almost time for him to choose his topic and start working on his dissertation and he could almost hear the Doctor in front of his name, but he had come to realize that his chosen profession didn't have the pull it used to.

He was no longer in love with forensic anthropology and it terrified him.

The people in his community had invested in his education and with his job at the Jeffersonian as well as his internship, he had slowly been paying them back, but he felt that if he didn't complete his degree in forensic anthropology he'd be letting them down as well as his mother.

It ate at him and it was starting to affect his demeanor. He didn't go to work at the Lab in a cheery mood anymore. He did his work and he was still eager to learn what he could from his mentor, but the happiness he used to feel doing his job was gone and it didn't go unnoticed.

"I think Wendell is no longer interested in forensic anthropology." Brennan was sitting at the bar in their living room while Booth poured her a glass of wine. "He doesn't seem enthusiastic anymore."

Booth handed her a glass of merlot and then poured a glass of wine for himself. "He's been going through a lot. His cancer and stuff, maybe he's just more serious because of that."

She thought about it for a while as she sipped her wine and decided that she was interpreting the signs correctly. "No, I don't think so . . . he should have chosen the topic of his dissertation months ago, but he has failed to submit an idea to me. Zach did the same thing as you will recall, but Dr. Goodman had discovered that Zach didn't want to give up working at the Jeffersonian. Zach was afraid to move forward in his career because he didn't want to leave his friends behind. I have tried to ascertain if that is the problem with Wendell through subtle questioning and it would seem that that is not the problem."

 _Subtle questioning? Oh Boy!_ Booth sipped some of his wine and thought about how to proceed. "Um, so you think he doesn't want to be a forensic anthropologist?"

"I think that is correct." Brennan felt sad for Wendell. She absolutely loved her profession and Wendell was one of her favorite interns. He worked hard for his degrees just like she had and she felt more of a kindred spirit with him than her other interns. "He still works hard, but it seems like he is wading through the water."

"Treading water." Booth still found it adorable that his wife sucked at popular catch phrases. "So he doesn't want to move on in your field? He has to make a decision doesn't he? He's worked a long time for his degree . . . he won't give up will he?"

Brennan bit her lower lip and studied the glass of wine in her hand. "I don't think he will. He could still do his dissertation and get his doctorate so his time in this field isn't wasted. He could then choose a field to his liking and work to get a degree in that profession. As you know I have several degrees. No degree is a waste of time. He could use his first degree as a stepping stone to his next degree. The problem is to discern what profession he is really interested in. It needs to be something that excites him."

Another sip of his wine and Booth placed the glass down on the bar. "Do you have any ideas? Has he talked about other professions that he's interested in?" Booth was worried about his friend. The last thing he wanted Wendell to do was fail after all the hard work he'd done and after having the scare of his life. "I just don't want him to give up on a degree not after he's come this far."

"I don't either." Brennan sighed. "I will give him more time to submit an idea for his dissertation and then I will confront him. I'm on his side, Booth. He needs to know that."

"Yeah, you are." Booth was so proud of how his wife had saved Wendell's life by getting him into a clinical trial researching his virulent cancer. "I know you are."

Ooooooooooooooooo

After Hockey practice, Booth dressed slowly waiting for Wendell to shower and dress. He wanted to talk to his friend and he thought a drink after the game would be a good time to do it. Brennan was home with the children and he had a little time before he had to be home.

Wendell noticed how slowly Booth was moving and was starting to worry that the Agent might be hurt. Dressed, he sat down on the bench next to Booth and cleared his throat. "Are you okay?"

Surprised with the question, Booth smiled to put his friend at ease. "Sure, I was just waiting for you to get dressed. I thought we could go get a beer."

Pleased that Booth wanted to hang out with him, Wendell smiled. "Sure, Andie is working late tonight so no rush to go home."

Standing, Booth leaned over and picked up his bag. "Good. I'll meet you at the Founding Fathers."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

A light crowd for a Wednesday night, Booth sat at the bar and noticed Wendell walk in. Waving at him, he motioned for his young friend to join him. Once Wendell was settled on the bar stool next to him, Booth sipped his beer while the younger man gave his order to the barman. "So Wendell, how's it going? Bones says you're getting ready to defend yourself for your doctorate. That's great."

One more person he felt that he was failing, Wendell clasped his hands on the bar and stared at his finger nails. "Yeah. I need to come up with an idea, but so far I'm drawing a blank. No hurry though."

"Um, yeah." Booth wasn't really sure how to broach the subject, but he wanted to help his friend. "Do you still want to be a forensic anthropologist?" Booth decided maybe he should just be blunt. Beating around the bush would just cause confusion. "I mean maybe you could just get this degree and then go back to school to study something else that you really love."

Surprised that Booth was making that kind of suggestion, Wendell looked up from his hands. "Um, I don't know . . . You know this cancer I had, it's only in remission. I'm not cured and . . . if I'm not going to live a long life, wouldn't be better if I worked doing a job that I'm trained for? I love working with Dr. Brennan and I owe her so much . . . I don't want to disappoint her or you or my family if I go in another direction."

"First, you may live to be an old man, you don't know." Booth knew he sounded angry, but he hated for Wendell to assume the worst. "They may find a cure some day and this remission is giving you the time to wait for it." Swallowing, Booth knew he was being too gruff. "Look don't make decisions based upon who you think you might disappoint. It's your life . . . But yeah, I get what you're trying to say. You want to be happy with what you do, but forensic anthropology may not be that thing that'll make you happy. On the other hand, you're not sure if you want to take the risk now . . . You know I loved the Army, I really did, but the longer I was in the longer I realized that I couldn't be a sniper forever. That kind of job can eat at you and after a while, it can change you into someone you might not recognize . . . I went to school while I was in the army and I got a Bachelors in Criminology. Pops, my grandfather was an MP in the Army and a policeman for the Philadelphia PD and his father was a policeman in Philadelphia too. I knew I wanted to be a cop, but I wanted more, so I worked my ass off to get what I wanted. I used the Army as a stepping stone to get what I wanted. I was a poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks and the Army helped me get something I couldn't afford on my own."

Wendell knew that Booth rarely talked about his private life and when he did, it just fascinated the intern. "So that's why you left the Army?"

A slight frown marred his brow, but Booth answered the question. "I had a lot of different reasons to leave the Army. As a sniper, I killed a lot of men and I was getting sick of that. I'm good with a rifle, very good and I did good work, but the count was piling up and it was getting too high . . . I worked on my degree hoping to get into the FBI, but if not them, I knew the CIA would take me. They made offers before I got my degree . . . I wanted to make a difference and I knew I could do that in the FBI. I had another goal too. I have a son, you know Parker and I wanted to live near him and be a father. I couldn't do that being shipped out to war zones. I wanted to make changes in my life for Parker and for me."

Wendell listened to his friend and he knew that Booth was trying to give him advice without pressing him too hard. "Yeah and you've done a great job. You and Dr. Brennan have the best solve rate on the east coast."

Booth patted his younger friend's shoulder and smiled. "We did it with the help of you and the other squints. We're a unit . . . a family and family looks out for each other. Think about your future and what might make you happy. Finish your degree and then start over. Find what makes you happy and what will help you make a difference. No one will be disappointed if you don't want to be a forensic anthropologist for the rest of your life, at least no one that cares for you will."

"Let me think about it . . . Dr. Brennan is probably going to be disappointed though." Wendell clutched his glass, filled with worry. "All that work she did to help me learn and . . . and I might turn my back on her."

"Bullshit." Booth exhaled deeply. "Wendell, Bones loves her job and she loves to teach, but she doesn't expect you do anything you don't want to do. I'm telling you she's not going to be disappointed in you . . . You know she has several degrees." Booth chuckled. "Believe me that first year I worked with Bones she let me know more times than I can count about her 20,000 degrees, but really if you think about it, she had a right to brag. It was annoying as hell, but it was the truth and she's all about the truth . . . think about it. Take your time. Find something you really love and once you get your degree go for that thing you really want to do. Do it for yourself. It's okay to think about yourself."

"Thanks, Booth." Wendell had a lot to think about, but he appreciated the help that Booth had offered. "I think I know what I'd like to really do, but I need to research it some more. I don't want to make a mistake and waste more time."

Pleased that Wendell was going to at least consider a change, Booth smiled. "You can do it, Wendell. You beat that shit cancer and you can do this."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	57. Chapter 57

(After the Change in the Game)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was Brennan's idea to wait to tell everyone about their new relationship and for the most part, Booth was fine with it. She wanted time to adjust to the fact that she and Booth were more than partners and she wanted to make sure the relationship was strong enough to survive the two very head strong personalities involved in the relationship.

Booth knew she was afraid and he wanted her to be comfortable with him and their new status as a couple. The 'just partners' weren't 'just partners' anymore and Booth planned to keep it that way.

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One of their first cases as a romantic couple seemed to be bizarre in that the body didn't have any hands, feet or a head for that matter. The Richmond Police department had called in Booth's team because they had been unable to track down who the victim was. The local coroner could only say that the body was that of a young woman between the ages of 25 and 35. He felt she was of African American descent, but it was possible she was of Caribbean descent. They had extracted DNA from the body and had run it through every database they had access to, but her DNA wasn't listed in any of the databases, nor did she appear to have a close relative in the databases either. Frustrated that her case was going nowhere, Detective Patrice Adams asked permission for the FBI to be brought in and that permission was given.

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Detective Adams was shocked at just how good looking Agent Seeley Booth was when she met him. His movie star good looks made her want to get to know him better and that was a fact. When introduced to Agent Booth's partner, Adams gave the forensic anthropologist a limp hand shake and a weak smile. The detective didn't care for squints as she felt they we more interested in facts than justice.

Once the introductions were made, Adams escorted the partners to the coroner's office so that Brennan could examine the body. Booth sat on a chair near the door trying to stay out of the way of his partner while Detective Adams moved a chair over to sit next to him. "How long have you been partners with Dr. Brennan?" She didn't really care, but it was a good ice breaker.

"Six years." Booth glanced at Brennan and noticed her move her index finger over the body's exposed neck. "Dr. Brennan is the best and that's why we have the highest solve rate in the FBI." Booth was proud of the work he and Brennan had done for the FBI and wasn't above bragging about it.

The detective glanced at Brennan and shuddered when the squint moved her finger under the loose skin attached to the neck. Repulsed, she turned her attention back to the good looking FBI Agent. "Yes, your partnership is quite famous in certain circles. While Dr. Brennan continues to do whatever she's doing why don't you and I go get a cup of coffee? She doesn't really need us here right now."

A cup of coffee sounded good, but he wasn't going to leave his partner alone in a strange city with a bunch of people he didn't know. "No thanks. I'll stay here just in case my partner needs me."

Brennan had overheard the detective's offer and turned to face her boyfriend. "Booth, I'd like a cup of coffee if you don't mind. Maybe you and the detective could make a coffee run and bring me back a large cup. You know what I like."

Still reluctant to leave his partner in a strange place, Booth glanced at the city coroner standing next to his lover and decided that Brennan could take him down if he tried some bullshit with her. Standing, Booth nodded his head and gave her a smile. "You got it Bones. Want a snack to go with it?"

"No thank you. Just the coffee." Brennan returned Booth's smile then returned to the examination of the poor unfortunate victim lying on the table.

Just to be friendly, Booth called out to the coroner, Dr. Abrams. "Hey doc want some coffee too?"

Waving his right hand, Dr. Adams kept his attention on Brennan's hands. "No thank you."

"Well, let's go detective." Booth moved towards the door and waited for Detective Adams to join him in the hallway.

Once they were alone, the detective walked closer next to the agent than was necessary. "I know we need specialists like her, but what she does gives me the willies."

Amused, Booth walked to the end of the hallway and into the lobby. "You get used to it, although truthfully, soupy bodies are the worst. I hate those. I think it's pretty amazing that Bones can even identify bodies that aren't bodies anymore."

"You call your partner Bones?" Adams found the notion amusing. "Dr. Abrams hates it when anyone tries to call him that. He insists that nicknames are degrading and unprofessional."

Booth frowned as he entered the street and asked which way to go to get the coffee. The detective pointed to the right and across the street which pleased Booth. The trip for coffee was going to be a short one. "Bones is the leading expert in forensic anthropology in this country and her specialty is bones. She doesn't mind the nickname since she knows I call her that with respect."

As they crossed the street, Adams let Booth move in front of her so she could inspect his posterior. She liked what she saw.

After Booth entered the shop, he ordered two coffees, three donuts and a spinach and fetta cheese filled croissant to go. The donuts were for him and the croissant was for Brennan just in case she got hungry later. After he received his order he waited for Detective Adams to get her order of coffee and a bagel slathered with cream cheese and they left the shop.

Once they were across the street and standing in front of the coroner's office, Detective Adams stopped Booth. "Are you dating anyone?"

Since his relationship was a secret at the moment, Booth lied. "Not right now."

Before he could enter the building Adams blocked his way and smiled at him. "I'm not seeing anyone either. Richmond isn't that far away from D.C., maybe we could hook up on our days off. I'm a fun date."

He hated to lie to the detective, but he needed a way out of her invitation without hurting her feelings. A partial lie sprang to mind and he went with that. "I just got over a bad relationship not too long ago. I'm doing the single thing right now, but thanks for the offer."

Determined to not let the Agent slip away, Adams persisted. "I've been through those too. They can be rough, but you know being with someone can give you a whole new perspective. A little fun and little romance and that bad relationship would end up just being a bad dream."

Annoyed that the detective wasn't taking a hint, Booth sighed. "Look no offense, but I'm not interested. I'm here to do a job not to look for a new girlfriend, so let's go check on my partner, okay?"

Since she considered herself to be a beautiful woman, the detective stared intently at Booth and voiced what she was thinking. "Are you gay?"

His eyes mere slits, Booth stared at the detective and wondered why the hell she couldn't take no without questioning his sexual preferences. "No, I'm not. Are you?"

"No." Detective Adams shook her head and decided that Booth might be too much trouble. "Let's go see what your partner is doing."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Taking a break, Brennan took the coffee from Booth and once she saw the croissant, she took that too. She hadn't realized she was hungry until she had seen the pastry. Munching on her snack while sitting on the chair Booth had been sitting on earlier, Brennan hummed in pleasure. "This is quite delicious."

Already done with his donuts, Booth sipped his coffee. The coffee was rich and he loved the flavor. "The donuts were good too. We'll have to get some more on the way back home."

The detective was sitting on the chair next to Brennan eating her bagel and sipping her coffee. Disappointed that Booth hadn't been interested in her sexually, when the Agent left the room to go wash his sticky hand in the bathroom, she spoke to Brennan out of curiosity. "Agent Booth says he is getting over a messy relationship."

Surprised that Booth would mention that to someone he didn't know, Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, he is."

"I tried to get him to hook up with me, but he isn't interested." The detective found it hard to believe that Booth had turned her down.

"Booth took his breakup with Hannah hard." Brennan was irritated that the detective was hitting on her partner and lover. It didn't seem very professional and the fact that the detective was beautiful just added to her irritation.

Detective Adams thought that Booth was having an unnecessary pity party. "Well, he'll never get over it if he doesn't start dating again. I could help him if he'd let me. Of course if he's that hung up over his ex then he might not be worth the trouble. Why did he break up?"

Not about to answer that question, Brennan shook her head. "I do not talk about Booth's or my personal life. It is unprofessional . . . He isn't hung up on his ex though. He is just enjoying his other options at this time." Brennan hoped she had said that right. She was trying to get the detective to back off, but she knew her use of popular speech wasn't perfect. She thought it over and decided to make herself clearer. "Booth is currently starting a new relationship with someone else, but it is new, so he doesn't talk about it."

Now Adams was angry. The Agent had told her that he wasn't dating anyone and his partner said he was. She hated people to manipulate her and the Agent seemed to be lying to her for no reason except to brush her off. "He could have told me that instead of telling me he's single and not interested."

Caught in a social situation that made her uncomfortable, Brennan tried to extract herself from the conversation. "Perhaps it was easier to tell you that he wasn't seeing anyone so that you wouldn't feel the sting of rejection."

Booth entered the room and was confronted with an angry detective. "Agent Booth, you didn't have to lie to me. When I asked you if you'd like to hook up all you had to do was say you weren't interested and you were already seeing someone. Giving me a sob story to put me off was just wrong. I don't like being lied to."

"I didn't lie." Booth was confused and staring at Brennan. "I told you I just got over a bad relationship and I did."

"You said you weren't dating anyone." Detective Adams wasn't sure why she was angry. Perhaps she wasn't used to rejection. "I'm a big girl. I can take no when someone tells me no."

Embarrassed, Booth tried to figure out how his turning down the detective gently made him a bad guy. Besides he was keeping his relationship a secret because Brennan wanted him to. _Damn it._ "Look, I'm here to do a job with my partner. I'm not here looking for lovers or girlfriends. You want it plain vanilla then here it is. I'm not interested in hooking up with you. My reasons are personal and none of your damn business. When I said no that should have been the end of it."

Amused, Dr. Abrams laughed from across the room and turned in his chair to look at the detective. "Okay you two, let's not get carried away. This isn't a soap opera. Detective Adams, the man isn't from around here. Why bother?"

Her cheeks a bright red, Detective Adams knew she had let pride get in her way and she was being very unprofessional. She knew she was not used to being rejected and she had let that cause her to be unwise in her responses to the Agent. It was a character flaw her mother had told her to watch out for quite a few times and it was definitely something she needed to work on. "Yeah . . . sorry Agent Booth. No means no. I get it . . . I have some phone calls I need to make."

Once she was out of the room, Booth sat down next to Brennan. "What the hell Bones. Why are you talking about my private life to strangers? You're the one who said not to."

"I don't know." Brennan stared glumly at the coroner sitting across the room and finally stood up. "I need to talk to you, Booth." Leaving the room, she waited for her partner to join her in the hallway.

Confused with Brennan's actions so far, Booth soon joined her and stared at his partner trying to figure out what was going on. "What do you mean you don't know?"

Her cheeks a dusty red, Brennan sighed and shook her head. "I don't know Booth."

The flushed cheeks, her refusal to answer and Booth suddenly understood. "Oh I think you do know . . . Detective Adams is pretty and I'm a hot looking guy with a cool job . . ." He didn't finish the sentence because he knew he didn't have to.

"Alright, I do know why." Brennan was angry that she was jealous of someone paying Booth attention that was of a sexual nature. "I think we should tell everyone we're a couple. Hiding our relationship is nonsense."

"Oh I agree." Booth stepped closer, pulled Brennan into his embrace and kissed her. "The detective may be pretty, but she isn't as beautiful as you are Bones. You're gorgeous and I only have eyes for you."

His words were assuring and made her feel wanted. "I am the standard. You said so yourself."

"That you are Bones." Booth kissed her once more. "You will always be the standard."

Ooooooooooooooo

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	58. Chapter 58

(After The Light in the Life)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Hesitating for just a moment, Brennan held the wrapped gift in her hand, debating whether or not Booth was recovered enough from his gambling episode to accept the pain that might come with the present she was about to give him. She had put off showing him what was under the wrapping paper for weeks and she knew it was time to show it to him before he found out on his own. Brennan wanted to control the situation and help Booth if he needed it.

The wrapped paper was a light crystal blue color with an ice cubed silver colored ribbon. Brennan had researched colors before choosing the paper and ribbon looking for colors that were supposed to be a relaxing color and free of stress. What the wrapping paper hid was going to be stressful enough.

She found him in their bedroom, frantically looking in the closet for something. "Booth, I have something for you."

The jacket he was looking for now in his hands, Booth turned and smiled at his wife. He had just completed moving everything from the temporary efficiency unit he'd been living in back to his house he shared with Brennan and he was making sure he hadn't forgotten anything at the small apartment. The jacket was his favorite and he'd missed it when he'd unpacked. Brennan had helped him remove everything from the boxes, so he wasn't sure what she'd unpacked. Now that he'd found the jacket he was certain that everything was back to its rightful place. "A present?" Booth moved across the room and his smile turned to a frown as he saw the look of worry on Brennan's face. "Why the long face?"

Brennan knew she was giving mixed signals to her husband, but she was feeling anxious and she couldn't school her face like she wanted to. "Open the present and then I will explain."

Now filled with a sense of worry, Booth took the present and stared at Brennan trying to figure out why she was so nervous. Since he knew she wouldn't answer any questions until he had done what she had asked, Booth pulled off the ribbon and tore the paper off exposing a book underneath. Puzzled, he threw the paper and ribbon on the dresser next to him and studied the cover of the book _The Part of the Whole by Lance Sweets._

"This is Sweets' book." Booth was shocked that the book had been published. "Who published it? This was Sweets' property and if he'd wanted it to be published he'd have done it himself." He was angry and he wasn't sure why.

Anger hadn't been the emotion Brennan had expected and she now knew she had some explaining to do. "He wrote this because his first book about us was based upon false assumptions, you know that. By altering the book so that it was fiction instead of non-fiction he found a way to use what he had learned about us and used it to write a love story . . . our love story."

When Angela and Avalon had presented the manuscript to them not too long after Sweets had been murdered, Booth had been both honored and saddened that Sweets had thought so much of him and Brennan that he wanted to write a book about them. The young man had always been fascinated with the Partners and it had taken the psychologist years to understand their relationship. To be honest with himself, Booth knew it had taken years for him to understand his relationship with Brennan too.

One night, when Sweets had met Booth at the Founding Fathers for a drink, he had noticed how depressed Booth was because Brennan and his daughter were gone. Brennan had fled Pelant and his malevolent influence trying to save her life while her partner and friends tried to exonerate her. At the time, Booth had been angry that he'd been abandoned by Brennan, but at the same time he'd known why she had done it and he'd found it hard to fault her for doing what she had done. It was logical and Brennan was very logical.

"Booth have you ever wondered what the glue is that holds you and Dr. Brennan together?" Sweets had drunk three beers and he wasn't as careful as he should be when talking about Booth's private life. "I mean you think you know, but I don't think you really do."

"Oh really?" Booth had turned to look at his young friend and seriously considered knocking him off the stool. How dare he try to use his psychological bullshit on him at a time like this? He was hurting and he missed his family. "I love her, Sweets. What kind of an idiot do you take me for? I love her and I want her back, her and Christine. I want my family back."

Sweets slowly nodded his head and stared at his outraged friend. He knew he should be afraid of Booth, but deep down, he knew that his friend would never hurt him no matter how angry he was. "Yes, you love her, but that isn't the glue that keeps you together through all of the pain and the grief and the separations. It has never been because of love."

Seething with anger, Booth placed his bottle of beer down on the bar and leaned closer towards his friend. His big frame looming over the frailer man, Booth knew that he could be intimidating and even downright menacing. "What the fuck are you talking about, Sweets? Are you questioning how much I love Bones?"

The words were spoken so very softly, but filled with so much menace that it made Sweets suddenly feel cold. A slight shiver raced down his spine and Sweets swallowed and licked his lips knowing he had to be very careful what he said next. The effects of the alcohol were now gone and he knew that even Booth could be pushed too far. "The glue that binds you together is friendship. Every couple falls in and out of love during their relationship, but if that relationship is based upon a strong friendship like what you and Dr. Brennan have then nothing and no one can destroy your relationship. Pelant has frightened Dr. Brennan enough that she knew that if she didn't leave she ran the risk of being killed along with you and your baby. She saw the possible risks and she ran to prevent that from happening. She is counting on the fact that if and when she comes back you will forgive her for abandoning you. She is basing that on the fact that your ties are strong and whether she understands it or not, those ties are your deep friendship for each other. Yes, you love each other, but not as much as you like each other."

Booth had sat back and had mulled over Sweet's words and as he thought about them his anger had slowly evaporated from his mind. Sweets was right, no matter what happened, the minute he was back in Brennan's presence he was going to forgive her for leaving him behind and for breaking his heart. His friendship with Brennan was very important to him and he knew that Brennan valued his friendship too. The fact that he considered Brennan to be his best friend helped him to see what Sweets was saying. "I love Bones so much, but yes . . . Our friendship is probably the most important possession I own. I've counted on that friendship for a long time, it's got me through a lot of shit knowing that I can count on her and hopefully she knows that she can count on me through thick and thin too."

"Oh she knows, Booth." Sweets sipped his beer and placed the bottle back down. "She may not be able to explain it, but she knows. When she ran it was because she knew that deep down she could trust you to forgive her actions when she comes back."

"There isn't anything to forgive." Booth grabbed his bottle of beer and drank most of the dark beer. "She did what she had to do. Pelant was going to kill her, we all know that. She's buying us time to set this right and prove she's innocent of Ethan Sawyer's death. I'm angry that she left me behind, but I understand why she did it or at least I'm trying to. When she comes back and she will come back, we're going to be okay, me and Bones. We've been through some horrible shit and we can get through this too."

And they had. They had got through that unsettling time in their relationship and they had been a stronger couple ever since. "I don't think Sweets meant to publish this book, Bones. He never mentioned it to anyone not even Daisy. Daisy understood once she found out it existed, why do you think she didn't ask for the manuscript back? This book was private between us."

"I had Sweets' book published because he never had anything published during his life time." Brennan had been published many times both in non-fiction and in fiction categories. "I'm an author Booth, you know that and I can tell you that if anyone goes to the bother of writing a novel it is with the intention of publishing it . . . I edited it to make sure it was ready to be published and then I contacted my publisher . . . My name is not on this book. This is Sweets' novel and he gets one hundred percent of the credit."

Booth flipped open the book and read a few paragraphs. "It is good."

"It is good." Brennan's publisher had felt it would do well once it was published. It might never make the New York Times Best Seller list, but Benjamin Bryce knew a money maker when he read it and this novel was a money maker. "The book was released two weeks ago. My publisher is going to do a small marketing campaign starting tomorrow. It's going to be sold in a limited market unless it proves to be a hit amongst readers. We'll have to wait and see. I needed to show you the book before you heard about it. I wanted to be the one to show it to you in printed form. I think that if Sweets were alive, he'd be very proud that his book is being published."

After he closed the book, Booth ran his hand over the jacket covering the book and realized the art work looked familiar. "Did Angela do the art work for the jacket?"

"You have a good eye, Booth. Yes she did." Angela had begged to do the jacket and Brennan had talked her publisher into letting her do it. After all Brennan was his most important client and if allowing an unknown artist do a jacket cover made her happy then it would be done. "As you can see the Jeffersonian is in the background and the couple sitting on the bench next to the rose garden look vaguely like us. She didn't want to make the lovers seem too much like us because the book is supposed to be a tribute to Sweets not us."

He was impressed with the jacket and the more Booth thought about it the more he realized that Sweets would have probably been excited to see his novel printed. "I think you did the right thing Bones. I don't know why I got angry . . . I guess I don't . . . Sweets needed to be published. Thank you."

Brennan took the book from Booth and placed it on the dresser. Her arms now around his chest, Brennan leaned against him as close as a woman eight months pregnant could do and smiled. "I'm glad you're home. I missed you."

"Not as much as I missed you." Booth held his arms loosely around her shoulders and sighed. "I'm sorry I gambled and I'll make sure you know from now on when I have an urge to do that. I need to be honest with you from now on about my addiction. That way you know you can trust me. No more hiding the urges because that only leads to disaster. I love you and I won't throw that love away, ever."

Ooooooooooooooooo

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	59. Chapter 59

(Bodies in the Book)

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I really don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

"So you discharged your firearm." Gordon Wyatt folded his hands and cocking his elbows on the arm rests stared at Booth over his clasped hands.

"I knew you'd be pissed, but I had a job to do." Booth thought it was unfair that he was being questioned about how he did his job. "I had a murder suspect that refused to cooperate in my investigation. The man is a loon, a stalker and I've had run-ins with him before. He slammed the door in my face and refused to let me in his apartment, I had probable cause. It's a good thing too, you should have seen the psycho bullshit he had in his apartment. He's the one you should be talking to not me."

Amused that Booth was being so defensive, Gordon smiled. "I merely stated that you discharged your firearm, there was no censure in my words, Agent Booth."

Confused, Booth stared at his therapist and finally shook his head. "If I'm going to be questioned every time I fire my weapon then yeah I think I have a right to be defensive. I shot an ice cream truck . . . once and no one was hurt, so now every time I shoot my gun I'm being questioned like I'm losing it?"

"Again, I merely stated a fact, Agent Booth." Gordon studied Booth and tried to figure out why he was so upset. "I do know you are required to fire your weapon occasionally in the line of duty. That is not why you are seeing me. You are seeing me, because you chose to shoot your weapon in an inappropriate manner."

"Once." Booth was tired of seeing his therapist. He wanted his life to go back to normal. "I apologized and I paid for the clown's head even though I could barely afford it. I've been seeing you for weeks and I think we should be done by now. I'm not going to shoot my weapon at ice cream trucks anymore. It causes nothing but trouble and it's not worth it."

Curious, Gordon lowered his clasped hands and rested them on his stomach. "When you grow frustrated, how do you plan to handle it in the future?"

This was the first time Gordon had actually asked him that and Booth was ready. "I'm going to the firing range and let off a few. It seems to help a lot."

"Controlled violence, very good." Gordon knew about the Agent's increased time at the shooting range and had wondered if he was using it to vent his frustrations. "I actually think that is a good idea."

Surprised, Booth smiled. "Yeah thanks. I need the practice anyway and a little extra shooting makes me feel better. It's productive." His frustration levels were high lately and he needed a way to control his impulses. Shooting at paper targets was safe and no one got hurt or questioned his sanity.

"Productive, yes." Gordon pursed his lips and placed his arms on the arm rests of his chair. "How are you and your partner doing? You just solved a rather interesting case."

"Um, we're good." Booth was worried that he was going to lose his partner, but he wasn't sure if he should mention it. Brennan's friendship with Sully seemed to be getting stronger every day and he thought if it went too far, she might ask that Sully to be named the liaison between the Jeffersonian and the Hoover instead of him. "Bones is dating someone. She seems to like him a lot."

The odd tone in Booth's voice alerted Gordon to the man's inner turmoil. "As a friend, I'm sure you're happy for her."

"Yeah, I am. She deserves to be happy." Booth stared at the painting on the far wall and debated whether he should say anything else. "You're my therapist and I can say anything. You won't tell anyone right?"

Curious, Gordon nodded his head. "That is correct up to a certain point. If you told me things that led me to believe that you were dangerous and may harm others then I would be obligated to tell the Deputy Director. It is why I was assigned your case."

"But besides that, I can tell you stuff and it's between you and me?" Booth needed to make sure before he said anything further.

"Yes of course." Gordon was now intrigued. "I am here to help you."

Torn between keeping his private life private and getting someone's opinion, Booth decided he didn't really have anyone else he could talk to without being judged. "Sully is a friend of mine and he's the one who is dating Bones . . . He's a nice guy and Bones couldn't do better if she tried . . . I think she's getting serious and I'm afraid I might lose her as my partner . . . Maybe she'd like to work with Sully instead of me."

Gordon witnessed Booth remove his poker chip from his pants pocket and started to flip it between his fingers. "Have you talked to her?"

"Nah." Booth stared at the poker chip and tried to get his thoughts in order so that he didn't sound like a loser. "I'm her friend and I like it . . . I don't want to her lose her friendship and that could happen if she gets more serious about Sully . . . She may not need me around anymore . . . I really like Bones and to lose her friendship . . . it would be bad I think."

"Bad?" Gordon knew that Booth was struggling to tell him something and his friendship with Brennan was apparently part of it.

"Yeah . . . I gave up gambling because of Bones." Booth continued to look at his chip. He was afraid to look at his therapist. "I knew I had to be the best to work with someone like her because she's the best . . . If I lose her friendship, maybe I'll gamble again . . . I don't want to, but Bones is the reason I don't gamble anymore and if she's not in my life . . . I'm worried."

Booth's confession worried him. Gordon knew that Booth had been through a lot in his life and a lot of it was very bad. He was sure that gambling was a way to try to control part of his life. In the vernacular, Booth was a control freak and he had a compulsion to try to control everything and everyone around him, but he did have difficulty controlling some of his more harmful urges. Gordon was of the opinion that Brennan helped him control those urges whether she knew it or not. "I think you should talk to Dr. Brennan about your friendship, Booth. See what she thinks about the matter. It may not be as bad as you think it is. Your friendship isn't one sided I can assure you. She seems to value your friendship just as much as you do hers."

"Yeah?" Booth pocketed his chip and finally looked at Gordon. "You think so?" He certainly hoped that was true.

"I do. Talk to her." Gordon knew it was his job to make sure the partners worked together in harmony and right now that harmony was starting to crack. If Booth wouldn't talk to her, Gordon thought he might have to find a way to talk to Brennan himself.

"Okay, maybe I will." Booth noticed the time on the clock near Gordon's desk and stood up. "I got work to do, Doc. See you around."

Gordon watched Booth leave and stared at the door once the man was gone. He hoped Booth would talk to his partner and soon.

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They were filling out paper work in Brennan's office, Booth sitting on the couch and Brennan at her desk. The final report signed, Booth placed the paper work on the coffee table and stared at his partner. "So you and Sully . . . you're doing okay?"

"Yes, we are." Brennan continued to work on the last form she was required to fill out for their latest case.

He was nervous and he was afraid that the conversation they were about to have was going to go terribly wrong. "Um . . . you like being my partner don't you?" _Please say yes._

Not sure why Booth was asking her that particular question, Brennan placed her pen down and looked at her partner. "Yes, of course . . . why are you asking me that?"

His cheeks dusted by a light red stain of embarrassment Booth looked away, unable to look at her. "Um, well, I thought maybe since you and Sul were um . . . doing well together, maybe you might want a new partner, with him, maybe." _There I said it. Please say no._

A little wary of Booth's topic of conversation, Brennan stared hard at him and tried to determine if he was trying to tell her something she just didn't understand. "Do you want me to work with Sully instead of you?" _I don't understand. Are you tired of our partnership? I hope not._

"What? No, absolutely not." Booth turned to stare at his partner, his heart rate higher than normal. "I just . . . I just don't want to be in the way if you want to um . . . not work with me anymore." _God, I'm making a mess of this. Fuck me!_

"We're partners Booth. I don't want that to change that just because I'm in a sexual relationship with Sully." Brennan saw Booth suddenly relax and she knew that he had been worried that she might have wanted a new partner. His sincerity was obvious and she knew he meant it when he said he would step aside for her if she wanted him to. "Our partnership is very successful. You're my friend and my partner and I don't want that to change." _I hope that is clear. I don't want to be Sully's partner._

"Okay, good." His heart beat had returned to a normal rate and Booth was now confident that his partnership wasn't in trouble after all. "We make a great team, you and me. I'm glad that you still want to be my partner."

"I do." Brennan realized that Booth had been tense since he had entered her office and only now realized it. She hadn't picked up on that fact until now and it embarrassed her that she was so terrible when it came to body language. Apparently, she had given him the answer he wanted to hear, because clearly the tension was gone. "Don't doubt my friendship for a moment, Booth. I like Sully. He's nice, but you're my partner and I don't see why I would change that."

 _I do, but I'll worry about it another time._ "No, I was just asking just in case . . . but, yeah, I don't see why you'd change it either." _God thank you._ Booth reached over to the coffee table and picked up the forms. "Well I'm done. As soon as you finish let's go to lunch. I'm hungry."

"Alright." Brennan signed the form, piled the reports into a neat stack, stood up and handed them to Booth. "I think I'm hungry too."

As she got her jacket from the coat tree, Booth waited for his partner near the doorway. He was relieved for now, but he would continue to be on his guard. Sully could still steal his Bones away from him and he knew he wouldn't be able to stop it, of that he was certain. He prayed that he would never lose her because if he did, well he would just have to try to handle it. His life was a mess and something was always going wrong.

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	60. Chapter 60

(Season 3)

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I really don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

He'd expected the summons, so Booth wasn't surprised when Jane, Deputy Director Cullen's secretary called. "Agent Booth, Deputy Director Cullen would like to speak to as soon as possible. He's waiting in his office for you."

"I'm on my way." Booth stood up, straightened his tie, grabbed his jacket from the coat tree and slipped it on. Aware he might be in trouble, Booth was prepared to defend what he had done and he didn't care if the higher ups in the FBI didn't like it.

Once he entered Cullen's outer office, Jane smiled at him and waved him over to the inner office door. "Good luck."

Booth liked Jane and returned her smile. "Thank you." Entering the office, Booth looked straight ahead and saw that Cullen was sitting at his desk. "You wanted to see me Sir?"

Cullen glowered at Booth and pointed at the chair in front of his desk. "I've been on the phone with the Director who just got an earful from the Director of the Secret Service."

Calmly, Booth sat down and stared at his boss's boss. "What about Sir?"

"Are you trying to be funny?" The Deputy Director wasn't in the mood for smart ass responses. "You arrested the Deputy Director of the Secret Service for voyeurism this morning."

"Yes Sir." He had interviewed Deputy Director Leo Sumner when he'd become a suspect in Gavin Nichols murder and Sumner had given him a reason why he wasn't a viable suspect. The man had smugly provided him with proof that he had known about his wife's affair with Gavin and Booth had been repulsed with that proof.

Cullen was trying to be patient, but Booth was pushing his limits. "Yes Sir? . . . I need an explanation, Booth."

Booth shrugged his shoulders and complied. "Leo Sumner is in violation of DC code 22-3531. It is unlawful for any person to occupy a hidden observation post or to install or maintain a peephole, mirror or any electronic device for the purpose of secretly or surreptitiously observing an individual who is engaging in sexual activity. During an interview with Leo Sumner this morning, he provided me with evidence of said voyeurism. He recorded his activities while watching his wife have sex with Gavin Nichols, a murder victim. He also recorded himself masturbating while he watched his wife have sex with someone else. He broke the law, I arrested him."

Almost speechless, Cullen sat back and realized that he hadn't been given the full story by the Director who in turn was probably in the dark too. "He just gave you recordings of him breaking the law? No coercion?"

"Yes Sir, he volunteered the recordings, no coercion." Booth was careful not to smile. "He was more concerned that he not be arrested for first degree murder."

"I see." The Deputy Director considered Booth to be a brilliant investigator and he also knew that Booth didn't care about politics. "Neither I nor the Director were given the complete story . . . Leo Sumner is the Deputy Director of the Secret Service."

Using caution since Booth didn't know how much trouble he was really in, Booth nodded his head. "No one should be above the law, Sir. Leo Sumner has been recording sexual acts committed by his wife and her lovers. The man is not fit to serve in the capacity of Deputy Director. He's left himself open to blackmail and since the Secret Service is responsible for the security of the President of the United States, the President's family and former Presidents he cannot continue in his capacity as Deputy Director. The stakes are too high."

"It's that simple?" Cullen was absolutely fascinated that Booth lived in such a black and white world. Of course the agent was correct, but still, he should have notified him before he'd had Sumner arrested. "The Director should have been notified before Sumner was arrested not afterward."

"Ms. Julian was a witness to the arrest, so the Justice Department is aware of the situation and the arrest was sanctioned." Booth now knew he was in trouble, but perhaps not as much as he could be. "Sumner was booked and released on bond three hours after his arrest. He of course threatened to have me and Ms. Julian fired, but we don't work for the Secret Service. He committed a crime and no one is above the law. It is as simple as that. Perhaps I should have notified you since this situation was special, but I was following protocol Sir. It's not usual to notify you personally of arrests. I was filling out reports when you called me to come see you, but I should have them available to you in about a half hour after I return to them."

Booth's logic was sound and there was no doubt he had following protocol. "Alright, go back to your office, finish filling out the reports and then bring them back here when you're done. I'll talk to the Director after that."

After he stood up, Booth glanced at the door and then back at his boss. "Leo Sumner is a disgrace to the Secret Service and his perversions could have resulted in a tragedy if it had continued. This might be embarrassing to the Secret Service right now, but the life of our President is more important that a little embarrassment."

Cullen nodded his head and leaned forward on his desk. "In the future, if you feel compelled to arrest Federal officials please let me know first. The Director and I need to have the answers when we start getting questions, do you understand."

"Yes Sir." Booth realized he could have handled the situation a little better. "I'll do that."

"Good." As soon as Booth left the office, Cullen made a phone call. "Bill, I have more information about Sumner. It looks like his Boss didn't get the full story . . . Booth is filling out reports right now. As soon as he delivers them to me, I'll bring them to you . . . Yes Sir . . . No, Booth did the right thing. We'll talk as soon as I get his report. You know I've always hated Sumner, he's such a twit. Now I know he's a perverted twit and there's proof to back it up."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Brennan added a lemon slice to her iced tea and watched Booth empty two packets of sugar into his coffee. "So there are no repercussions for arresting Leo Sumner?"

His coffee too hot to drink, Booth slowly stirred the dark liquid and leaned forward so that only his partner could hear him. "Not really. I was told that from now on I need to contact the Deputy Director before I arrest Federal officials high up in the food chain. Besides that, once Cullen read the report and looked at the DVD he knew that I'd done the right thing. Sumner is going to lose his position and he should the bastard. Sumner is a rich man and he's used to getting what he wants. The rich always think they're special and should get away with anything, but not on my watch."

Proud of her partner's ethics, Brennan smiled. "Not on your watch." She believed that sex should be a private matter. The fact that Sumner had recorded his wife having sex with someone and used that as a masturbatory aide was going too far. No one should worry that their sexual congress was going to be recorded unless they approved of that recording. Gavin Nichols had clearly not consented and Sumner was in violation of the law. "I believe you did the right thing, Booth."

The coffee now cooler, Booth sipped it and leaned back against his chair. "Thanks Bones."

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	61. Chapter 61

(Season 1)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

A/N: I got this story idea from 554Laura. This story might be a little OOC. Not much, but a little.

I don't own Bones, not even a little bit.

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"I'm not afraid of you." Zach had studied Booth for the last few days and although the agent appeared to be intimidating, the intern had just received his red belt in taekwondo and he felt like he was a match for the bigger man.

Watching Brennan examine the body on the sterilized table on the platform, Booth didn't really care what Zach thought. "Good for you." Zach gave him the creeps sometimes. Too often, the intern seemed to be emotionless when he shouldn't be and too smart to be good for him or anyone else.

Since that hadn't really been the reaction he was expecting Zach decided to change tactics. "You may be bigger than I am, but I have a distinct advantage over you."

"Good for you." Not sure why the intern was talking to him, Booth was trying to ignore the man. He was obviously trying to pick a fight and Booth wasn't interested.

Annoyed that Booth didn't seem to be taking him seriously, Zach touched Booth on the arm. "You act like a bully and I'm just letting you know that I won't tolerate that in the future."

Not really sure why he was considered a bully, Booth turned to look at the smaller man. "You have no idea what real bullying is if you think I'm a bully."

Brennan was starting to become alarmed with the conversation she was hearing and wanted to stop it before it went too far. "Zach, you should be assisting me, not harassing Agent Booth."

Affronted by Brennan's statement, Zach frowned and moved away from Booth and towards the stainless steel table where the victim lay. "But you were the one who told me how Agent Booth bullied you several months ago and that was why you didn't want to work with him. I'm just informing Agent Booth that that kind of behavior will not be tolerated now or in the future."

Booth remembered that conversation a long with the hard slap he'd received from Brennan for daring to drag her from the conference room. It had been a mistake, but it definitely wasn't bullying as far as he was concerned. After all he had been the one who had been slapped. "Listen Sport, I don't bully anyone. That thing last year was a misunderstanding. The victim's mother was in the room and Bones was sowing doubt in our case. Jocelyn Arrington was getting upset and I needed to shut that down. We don't upset the family of victims unnecessarily if we can help it. We had enough evidence to convict Judge Hasty and that was all that mattered. We need to make sure that those kinds of conversations are done privately not in front of people we're trying to help. I agree that pulling on Dr. Brennan's arm was a mistake. I should have asked her to leave the room, but I was trying to spare Mrs. Arrington, the victim's mother. She was already worried that Judge Hasty might get away with murder and Dr. Brennan wasn't helping the situation."

A little embarrassed that she might have overreacted when Booth pulled on her arm in front of Mrs. Arrington, Brennan realized that Booth had been right. Mrs. Arrington shouldn't have been privy to their conversation. At the time, being pulled from the room seemed to be the mark of a bully in Brennan's eyes, but now that she saw the reasoning behind it she realized that Booth was protecting the mother of the victim. "The past is the past Zach and we're moving on. Booth won't pull me from rooms anymore and I won't discuss cases in front of family members of victims if I have reservations. There is no reason to upset people who are already grieving over the loss of a loved one."

"Thanks Bones." Booth appreciated that Brennan was seeing that the situation had escalated too far over almost nothing.

"Don't call me Bones." Brennan really hated that nickname and wished Booth would reconsider using it.

Slightly amused, Booth turned to look away from his partner and stared at Hodgins as he came up the stairs on to the platform.

Since Zach still considered Booth a bully, the intern felt that the agent should understand that neither he nor any of his fellows were afraid of him. "I now have a red belt in self-defense. I'm quite capable of taking care of myself. Dr. Brennan has also been trained in martial arts."

Bored with the conversation, Booth walked over to where Hodgins was now sitting and studied the screen that was on display in front of the entomologist. He wasn't sure what he was seeing, but the graphs were interesting.

The silence from the agent was very irritating and Zach was certain Booth had moved away because he had been impressed with Zach's status in his chosen field of martial arts. "Agent Booth, would you care to try to physically abuse me? I'd like to show you my skills in self-defense."

His eyes large in his head, Hodgins turned to stare at the intern. "Are you nuts?"

Since Zach refused to behave, Booth moved down the steps from the platform and stood below. "Come here Zach. You've been spoiling to put me in my place since I showed up a little while ago. Let's see what you're made of."

"No, Zach has work to do." Brennan had seen Zach practice taekwondo and she didn't want her intern to hurt Booth. If he did that, that might be the end of her partnership with Booth.

Ignoring Brennan, Zach sauntered across the platform and down the stairs to face Booth. "I must warn you again that I have a red belt in taekwondo. It is not my purpose to hurt you, it is merely to show you that we are all capable of protecting ourselves from people such as yourself."

Not sure why Zach had decided that he was the enemy, Booth took off his jacket and hung it on the rail of the steps to the platform. Once that was done, he stared at Zach. "It's your fight, so you make the first move."

Since he didn't really want to hurt the agent too badly, Zach removed his shoes and without warning, attempted to round house kick Booth, his aim at the agent's left thigh. The attempt was unsuccessful and the intern found himself lying on his back staring up at the agent. "That should have connected."

Snorting, Booth shook his head. "Only if I just stood there and let you hit me. I'm not stupid."

Certain that he had made a technical mistake, Zach stood up and attempted a flying twin foot side kick which also failed. This time when he stood up, he felt a sting on his upper right thigh and realized that Booth must have hit him hard enough to bruise him. "Do you have martial arts training?"

"I do." Booth smiled at the younger man and wondered if he was going to try any other moves. "I was an Army Ranger. Rangers lead the way . . . no one is tougher than a Ranger."

Hodgins leaned over the railing and called down to the intern. "Listen Dude, better stop. The Rangers are like the Ninjas of the United States Army."

Now that he knew more about the FBI Agent, Zach realized that he should have asked more questions of the man before goading him into a fight. "I see. Well, you can see that I am quite proficient in martial arts myself."

"If you call falling on your ass proficient." Booth stared up at Brennan and wondered how much more of this bullshit he had to put up with. "Are we done? Don't you have work to do? A killer to find?"

Brennan nodded her head and called down to her intern. "Zach, we do have work to do."

Grabbing his shoes, Zach placed them on his feet and limped back up the stairs.

Not sure what Zach's point had been unless he had meant to humiliate him, Booth took his jacket and placed it back on. "You people really need to learn what a bully really is. I was minding my own business and Zach insisted on fighting me. In my book that is being a bully." With that, Booth turned around and moved down the hallway to the exit. He had wasted enough time at the Lab.

As they watched the Agent leave, Zach shook his head. "Was I being a bully?"

Hodgins nodded his head and walked back over to his PC. "I think so Dude."

Brennan shook her head and moved back over to the victim. "Zach, you were very lucky that Booth didn't hurt you."

"Yes, I know." Zach decided that from that moment on, it would better to be a little wary of the agent. "I'm not sure how he reflected my attacks. I need to increase my training."

"And not goad Booth into another fight." Brennan had found the whole thing to be a waste of time and alarmingly dangerous. "I have a black belt, but you don't see me goading someone into fighting me. I use my training to defend myself and that is what you should be doing."

"Yes Dr. Brennan." Zach knew that he had a lot to learn about human interaction. "Perhaps Booth wasn't a bully after all. He could have hurt me easily, but he didn't."

Brennan agreed. "I would say he showed remarkable restraint."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	62. Chapter 62

(After The Doctor in the Photo)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I really don't own Bones

Ooooooooooooooooooo

The last several days had been an emotional train wreck and Brennan was still recovering from it. For so long, she had denied that she loved Booth and when he asked her to take a chance on a relationship the previous year she had refused. She had done it for two reasons. Brennan didn't think she had Booth's type of heart and she could never return the affection he was seeking and secondly, she had been afraid that when he discovered that she couldn't love him he would reject her and walk away from her. She knew what it was to be abandoned by people who had professed to love her and it hurt more than she was willing to confess. Her parents had been the first to betray her, then Sully. She knew it would be devastating if Booth left her too and she could not bring herself to risk that.

Because of her fear, she had broken her partner's heart and she knew it and yet he didn't betray her. He remained her partner and friend and he didn't walk away. He had told her he would move on and that had seemed logical to her at the time. If she couldn't provide what he needed emotionally then it seemed logical for him to look elsewhere. As long as they were still friends then that was all that mattered to her.

Logic . . . there is nothing logical about love and when she realized that she did love Booth and she could trust him to be loyal to her, he had found someone else and it had been a bitter pill to swallow. She had accepted that Booth was in a relationship with Hannah and she had missed her chance and yet . . . and yet she now had regrets. She now knew that in trying to avoid any emotional pain from a possible failed relationship with Booth she was now experiencing the pain she had thought she had protected herself from. The irony of the situation was not lost on her.

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Angela found Brennan in her office. The last few days had caused Angela a lot of worry. Brennan had behaved out of character during the Lauren Eames case and had almost been frenetic in how she had approached the case. Late nights, lack of sleep, little evidence that her friend had been eating properly and Angela was starting to worry that Brennan was having a nervous breakdown. "Honey, did you go home last night?"

Thoughtfully, Brennan looked up and gave her friend a sad smile. "Yes . . . I came back to work around midnight, finished up my notes on the Eames case and went back home around three."

Relieved that Brennan hadn't stayed all night, Angela looked at her watch and decided that they could use a coffee before they started their day. "Let's go to the Diner for a coffee . . . well, not me. I'm still drinking that non-coffee drink they call decaf. I mean is it really coffee if there is no caffeine? When my baby finally makes an appearance, I'm going to drink so much coffee, Hodgins is going to have to tie me down to keep me from being a whirling dervish."

Since Brennan knew that Angela planned to breast feed her baby, she could only assume that Angela was using hyperbole. "I could use a cup of coffee and perhaps a little something to eat." Standing, she removed her purse from her desk and removed her wallet. Transferring it to her jacket, she removed her lab coat and replaced it with the jacket she knew she'd need. The weather had been clammy and chilly lately which wasn't unusual for late winter, but was unpleasant to experience.

Grateful that her friend wasn't balking at taking a break, Angela followed Brennan out of the Lab and once they were at the Diner, took over their usual table in the back. Once they had ordered coffee and apple fritters, Angela stared at her friend and couldn't help but notice the dark smudges under her eyes. "Honey what's wrong? You've been acting a little un-Brennan like for the last few days."

She knew that she had worried her friends, but she didn't think she could explain, at least not well. "I saw myself in the victim . . . alone, friendless, no one to care whether I lived or died. Unmourned in death . . ."

"Brennan that's not true." Angela was shocked that Brennan would even think that about herself. "You have a lot of friends and we care for you. We love you. Even Booth loves you in his way . . . of course the man is in complete denial, but that's another conversation for another time. Honey you are not friendless."

"Yes, I know." And Brennan did know. Her world had turned upside down for three days and in those three days she had seen a life that had ended tragically because Lauren Eames had rejected all emotional ties with anyone. Not just her helicopter pilot who had loved her, Lauren had rejected all friendships and Brennan had worried that that was what she had been doing. She now knew she wasn't the same as the victim. She had just thought she was. "I followed the clues and I know what happened to Lauren Eames. She died in an accident. She was standing in the middle of a street during a stormy night. Someone hit her with a vehicle and killed her because the driver didn't see her to avoid hitting her and there was no one there to save her from herself . . . Unlike me. Booth found me in time and saved me from being run over last night."

"Oh my God." Angela stared at her friend in horror. "Honey, I . . ."

Brennan placed her hand over Angela's hand. "Booth followed me because I was acting out of character . . . He saved me from being killed . . . I know he cares for me as a friend, but it will never be more. He told me so last night and I accept that."

Sad that her friend was going through so much pain, Angela waited to continue the conversation once the waitress had placed their order in front of them on the table. "You know a few years ago, when Kurt had been murdered, you told me that nothing in the universe happens just once. Infinity goes in both directions, that there is no unique event no singular moment. Remember? I didn't understand at the time and you told me that I'd get another chance at love and you were right Brennan. You were right. I have Hodgins in my life now and I do love him so much. He was my second and fourth chance if you count Roxie. I had three more chances and I found love."

"I'm still not sure I believe in love." Brennan sighed as she stared at her apple fritter. Her appetite was still weak, but she knew that she had to eat to continue. "I do know that I'm not alone. I have friends. I have you and Booth and Hodgins. It's just . . . it's hard to see a future any different than the one I have now. I missed my chance for more and I'm sad, but I know that sad is better than dead. Sad is better than not feeling at all."

Her hand clutching Brennan's hand, Angela nodded her head. "That's right, sad is a feeling, Bren. Sad is definitely better that dead . . . Give it time. You never can tell what the future will bring. Maybe someday, you'll find that someone that is meant to be with you and when that happens . . . when that happens you will see that there are more chances for you and everyone else. It may not be with Booth, but you will eventually find happiness just like I did, just like you said I would."

Her words were soothing and Brennan hoped they were true. "I will keep a look out for that chance, Angela."

"That's all you can do, Bren. It's all anyone can do."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	63. Chapter 63

(Season 8)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

A/N: Starting next Monday, my company is sending me to another site to work on testing product. I will be gone for about four weeks. I plan to post my stories at home before I leave for work in the mornings. I will not have access to a computer with internet while I am at the other site, so if you see any errors in my stories, you will have to ignore them. My phone will have internet, so I can still reply to reviews or PMs. I have written several chapters of each of my stories, so there should be no interruption in my posting schedule. (I hope not anyway)

I don't own Bones.

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Since Booth was busy placing a new roof on the garage with the help of Wendell, Brennan decided to mow the lawn. Christine was asleep in her room and after she handed the baby monitor to Booth, she removed the lawn mower from the shed in the back yard, started it up and began to cut the grass.

The grass in the backyard wasn't too long since Booth had mowed it six days earlier, but they had been having trouble with the grass in the front yard and it was starting to annoy both of them. It had bare spots towards the front of the yard abutting the sidewalk and Booth was threatening to reseed the whole front lawn.

Dressed for comfort, Brennan wore an old light blue short sleeved shirt, a pair of cream colored poplin shorts and a sturdy pair of navy athletic shoes. After she finished working in the back yard, she went in the house to check on her baby and found that Christine was still asleep. Grateful for that, she grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator, drank most of it and then left the house to finish mowing the lawn.

As she started to mow the lawn in the front yard near the porch, Booth stopped hammering and stared at his lover as she moved across the lawn. Brennan had worked hard to get back into shape after Christine was born and much to her frustration, her body had changed and those changes were here to stay. Her breasts were a cup size bigger and her hips had increased a little bit giving her more curves than before. As far as Booth was concerned she was gorgeous and he for one appreciated the changes. She had been his ideal before and the changes just emphasized those ideals.

As he watched her mow, her damp shirt sticking to her back, he loved the economical way she moved the mower across the lawn. Brennan never wasted time if she could help it and she had clearly worked out a pattern that would allow her to mow the lawn the fastest possible way.

A little movement across the street and Booth noticed his neighbor, Jim Brandon staring at Brennan while she mowed. The look on his face was not a look of neighborliness and Booth felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. Scrambling across the roof, Booth moved over to the ladder and quickly down to the ground. Wendell, who was busy hammering in a sheet of plywood, suddenly looked up and noticed he was alone. He assumed that his partner had gone to the bathroom and thought nothing of it.

Once he was on the ground, Booth moved quickly across the driveway, through the open gate and over to the front lawn. As soon as he was beside Brennan, Booth tapped her shoulder and motioned for her to turn the lawn mower off. "Bones . . . Bones . . ."

Startled, Brennan turned off the mower and gave her boyfriend a puzzled look. "Is there something wrong?"

"Yeah, Christine was crying a little bit and I think she might be hungry." Booth was lying and he didn't care. "Um, since you're feeding her . . ." Booth motioned vaguely towards his chest and blushed. "Maybe she might want some milk or something." A quick glance across the street and he saw that Brandon was still staring at Brennan and that just made Booth that much angrier. He handed her the baby monitor and pecked her lips. "I don't have the goods she needs."

Taking the baby monitor from Booth, Brennan listened and didn't hear any sounds coming from the monitor. "She's not crying now."

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "Well she was."

Since her baby was alone in the house, Brennan quickly walked over to the porch, climbed the steps, opened the front door and entered the house.

As soon as Brennan was out of sight, Booth turned and jogged across the street. Once he was standing a few feet from his nosy neighbor, Booth crossed his arms against his chest and glared at Brandon. "We're new here and I don't want to get off on the wrong track, but if you don't quit staring at my wife, I'm going to fucking beat you senseless." Satisfied that he'd made himself clear, Booth turned on his heels and marched across the street back to his front lawn. Even though Brennan wasn't really his wife, he wanted his neighbor to understand that Brennan belonged to him and he protected what belonged to him.

A cold chill running down his spine, Brandon suddenly remembered that the previous owner of the house across the street had been a dangerous drug dealer. Unsure who Booth really was, the frightened man beat a hasty retreat into his house vowing to mind his own business from that point on.

Not feeling guilty in the least, Booth started the mower and finished mowing the lawn. The sparse grass near the sidewalk an irritant, he cursed the dirt as he mowed over it sending a cloud of dust in the air. Once the lawn was mowed, he turned off the mower, lifted the hem of his t-shirt, wiped his face and pushed the mower up the driveway, through the gate and back to the shed where he stored it. That accomplished, he grabbed two bottles of water from the cooler near the open garage door and carried them up the ladder to the roof of the garage. "Here don't get dehydrated." Booth tossed one of the bottles to Wendell who caught it.

"Thanks Man, I was just getting ready to go down and get me one." Wendell cracked the bottle open and drank most of the water. Once he was satisfied, he glanced at Booth who was drinking his water. "I saw you mow the lawn. Was Christine awake?"

"Yeah." Booth continued the lie. "Since Bones had to take care of her I went ahead and finished mowing the lawn. She was almost done anyway."

"Um, why'd you go across the street?" Wendell had noticed the interaction between Booth and the neighbor and he couldn't help but see the look of fear on the neighbor's face before he'd practically ran into his house.

After he finished his water, Booth tossed the empty bottle off the roof somewhere near the cooler. "You saw that huh?" He debated with himself and decided to tell the truth. "The guy was leering at Bones. I will not tolerate that kind of disrespect and I told him so."

Amused, Wendell started hammering a nail into the board he was sitting on. "I see." If there was one thing he knew about Booth, he knew that the agent would not tolerate anyone paying Brennan too much attention, especially when it was someone not giving her what Booth considered proper respect. "Okay then."

He wasn't sure about Wendell's tone of voice and suspected the man was amused, but Booth didn't really care. No one was going to leer at Brennan and get away with it, unless it was him. The sooner his neighbors knew that she was out of bounds the better. "Yeah, well, wait until you're dating someone, smartass. You won't think it's so funny then."

"No probably not." Wendell glanced at the front lawn and shook his head. "Man your front yard kind of looks sick."

Annoyed, Booth glanced at the bare ground near the sidewalk. "It's not sick, it's dead. It's on my list of things to fix."

"You might get Hodgins to look at it." Wendell admired Hodgins and his knowledge about all things when it came to plants and animals.

Since he didn't really know what was wrong with it, Booth thought that might be a good idea. "I probably should. I don't know a lot about grass. I'm a city boy. Pops' lawn was pretty good, so I don't know what to do with a sick one. I'll get bug boy to come and look at it."

Shortly afterward, Brennan came outside with Christine in her arms. "I'm going to make lunch and let you know when it's ready."

Grateful, Wendell waved his hammer. "Thanks Dr. B."

"Yeah, thanks Bones." Booth stared down at his little family and smiled. "I finished mowing the lawn for you."

"Thank you." Brennan had heard the mower running and she knew that Booth had finished the job. "Christine wasn't awake."

Not willing to give up on the lie, Booth shrugged his shoulders. "Well, she was."

Not completely unaware of her surroundings, Brennan had noticed her neighbor staring at her while she mowed the lawn and she was certain Booth had acted out in his typical alpha-male way staking out his territory. Since she couldn't prove it, she decided not to mention it, but she did give him a smirk. "Uh huh." Just to let him know she was aware she knew he had been up to something.

Once she was gone, Wendell chuckled. "Busted."

"Yeah." Booth shook his head and laughed. "Oh well."

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	64. Chapter 64

(After Blackout in the Blizzard)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

With a little free time on his hand, Booth spent Saturday morning doing a little shopping. He felt it was time to update some of his wardrobe and picked up a few new shirts, slacks and socks. He also bought a new jacket and a pair of brown boots. Satisfied with his purchases he dropped by his barber shop and got a haircut.

As usual the barber wanted him to try out a new hair style, but Booth didn't see anything wrong with the one he had. Once it was cut, he made sure it was what he wanted and left the shop whistling as he walked. Oddly, he didn't notice he was doing that until he stopped to stand in front of a flower shop and looked at the bouquet on display. His whistling echoing back from the glass, he closed his lips and shook his head. _Man, what happened to angry with the world?_ Amused with himself, Booth stared at the bouquet for a few minutes and decided that that wasn't a step he was going to take, at least not at the moment. He might not be angry with the world, but he was still in a funk about his life. He'd taken a lot of heavy hits in the last year and he was still struggling with the whys. Until he figured out why his life kept taking drastic detours he was too afraid to push forward. He could only fail so many times and he was certain he had reached his limit at least for now.

No longer interested in the flowers, Booth moved down the sidewalk, across the street and over to his truck. Once he was settled in the driver's seat, he took out his phone and made a call.

 _Brennan._

"Hey Bones, I was wondering if you'd like to join me for dinner tonight." Booth stared at the flower shop in the distance and then shook his head. "I mean if you're free and want company."

 _Yes, of course. Would you like me to meet you somewhere?_

"Sure." They talked over where would be the best place to eat and finished their conversation. Grimly, Booth ended his call and placed the phone on the seat next to him. _What are you doing? It's too soon . . . it's just dinner and . . . it's just dinner._ Determined not to make too much of what he was going to do that evening, Booth started his truck, checked for oncoming traffic and safely entered the road.

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She was surprised when she saw her partner enter the restaurant. He was dressed rather nicely in a new deep red long sleeved shirt and a pair of black slacks. She hadn't expected that and she admired the confident way he moved towards the table to meet her. Once he sat down across from her, he smiled and glanced around the room. "This place is new so I can't guarantee that it's any good."

Brennan had studied the menu before Booth arrived and she had found the Vegan dishes listed to be interesting. She was looking forward to tasting the steamed buns with Tempura King Oyster mushrooms and the fried rice. "I've perused the menu and it has an excellent Vegan and vegetarian listing. I also checked and they have the short ribs which I know you enjoy if you're interested."

Eager to check out the menu, Booth looked it over and his mouth watered at some of the food choices he could make. "Wow, this could end up being our favorite restaurant." He wanted to order the Mongolian Lamb, but he knew that Brennan hated it when he ate lamb or veal. "I think I'll get the roast pork with garlic sauce. Don't worry, I have breath mints in my pocket."

Amused Brennan chuckled. "That's good. You may need to share them with me." Ever since they had spent a day trapped in the elevator at Booth's apartment building, Brennan had noticed that her partner wasn't as tense as he had been when he broke up with Hannah. It would seem that their talk that day had done them both good. She felt they had an idea what they wanted to do in the future and it was just a matter of time before they achieved their goal. In the meantime, Brennan was enjoying their renewed friendship and making it stronger.

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They met at the Founding Fathers for drinks and Brennan entered the bar dressed in a new light floral print blouse and white slacks. She had decided to let her hair fall naturally on her shoulders and not pin it up. She was wearing new leather sandals and felt a little over dressed until she spied Booth waving at her. He was wearing a new black long sleeved shirt with blue jeans and he looked very attractive. Her heart racing a little faster than normal, she almost felt breathless. They had met many times over the years for drinks and dinner, but this was the first time that she could recall that they were both dressing nicely for their get-togethers and she liked it. It almost felt like they were dating even though she knew they weren't. "The traffic was rather intense tonight. Sorry I'm late."

"Not a problem Bones." Booth admired Brennan's blouse and liked the way it emphasized the contours of her breasts. _Down Boy. She's just your partner. Don't even go there. "_ You look very nice. Is the blouse new?"

"Yes, it is." Brennan placed her purse on the floor next to her feet and ordered a glass of wine. "Is your shirt new? It looks new."

Booth quickly looked down and then back at Brennan. "Yeah. It's been awhile since I bought some new shirts, so I bought a couple the last time I went to the mall." It dawned on Booth that they were both wearing new clothes and wondered what that meant. "Would you like to do anything this evening? We could go listen to some jazz."

"I think I would like that, thank you." Brennan waited for the server to place her wineglass on the table and then turned her attention back towards Booth. "Dad has decided to go visit Russ for the next two weeks."

He wasn't really interested in what Max was up to, but it was a safe topic of conversation. "How's Hayley?"

"She's doing well." Brennan sipped her wine and let her gaze move around the room momentarily. The crowd was a typical Friday night crowd and everyone seemed to be in a festive mood. "Dad wanted to help celebrate Russ's birthday."

Booth didn't ask why Brennan didn't go with Max. "That's nice . . . Parker's class is having a father/child pancake breakfast next week . . . it should be fun."

"It probably will be." Brennan loved Booth's son and found the boy to be a joy to be around. "He really loves pancakes."

"I'll say especially chocolate chip pancakes, but the paper says they're going to serve buttermilk pancakes." Booth glanced at the crowd around them and felt it was getting too crowded. "Drink up and we'll go. Maybe we can stop by the Diner and get a snack before we go to the club."

Amused that Booth always seemed to be ready to snack, Brennan retrieved her purse and stood up. "Maybe some pie for you. I'd like some cheesecake I think."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

They were back from Florida; their case was solved and Walter's pilot had delivered the murderer they had been looking for. After they had an Agent come and pick up Lambert Chaisson, Booth and Brennan continued their walk. They had never really gone for walks before, but that was something they had started recently. As they walked down the quiet street, they talked about their case, Walter and how much Booth hated him. They also talked about Parker, Max, a new book that Booth had just started reading and a story idea Brennan had for her next book.

Brennan found the experience to be pleasant. They were in no rush to be anywhere, the temperature was mild and both were relaxed and comfortable with each other's company. As the weeks had progressed, Booth appeared to be calmer and happier and their conversations were quite interesting and filled with anecdotes about work or people that they knew. Brennan had started to think of what they were doing as dating, but she chose not to ask Booth if that was what they were doing. Why introduce anxiety into the situation unnecessarily? If Booth agreed that they were dating, then things would immediately change between them and Brennan wasn't quite ready and she didn't think Booth was either. If he told her no, then it would make the situation between them awkward and might stop their progress and she did think they were progressing.

If there was one thing Brennan regretted it was the fact that she was terrible at picking up clues about social situations. At this point in time, she had decided that she would follow Booth's lead and let him decide when they were ready for more than a partnership. She wanted to make sure he was ready and that he was no longer angry with anything. She felt she was almost ready, but still hesitated to admit for certain if she was strong enough to move forward. She still worried that any relationship that she had with Booth would end like all of hers and for that matter all of his had done in the past. Fear kept her from committing completely to the idea of love, but she knew that she would have to try eventually if there was ever going to be more than a friendship between her and Booth.

For the time being, they would go on their non-date dates, strengthen their ties and when the time came, they would both cross the line that separated them. They would cross it together and they would enter a new social situation that would either make them stronger or destroy them. _Not destroy them. No matter what happens they would always be friends. Always. I will not allow anything to destroy our friendship and I am certain he won't either._

"Bones, you're so quiet." Booth knew that Brennan was still working on her strength versus impervious thing and he was willing to wait. He was certain that he was done being angry. It was self-destructive and he'd seen what could happen if you wallowed in that shit. His father was a prime example. Angry with the world, not happy and determined to make everyone around him unhappy. That was not who Booth was and it never would be. Of course he slipped up sometimes, but he was human. He knew that he had to move forward always forward. The past was a trap that could pull him under. All he had to do was be patient and someday, someday soon, he and his partner would finally get together and he knew it would be great for both of them. They were meant to be together, he just needed to be patient and he and Brennan would finally get what they both wanted.

"I was just thinking about how much I enjoy being with you." Brennan smiled and captured his hand in her hand. "I love our friendship. I like that we can go for walks and talk about anything. It's quite enjoyable."

It felt so right to be holding her hand as they walked and he was determined to do it more often. "Yeah, it is, isn't it?" He didn't know what the future was going to bring, but he hoped it would always be like this. Booth wanted to always be able to hold her hand. It was a small thing and yet it seemed so right.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	65. Chapter 65

(The Light in the Life)

A/N: this story idea came from anne1585.

I don't own Bones.

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The first inkling that he had that something was wrong between Booth and his daughter was when he had picked up Christine to take her to the zoo and he found out that his daughter and his son-in-law weren't living together. Stunned, Max had tried to find out why, but Brennan had told him that it was none of his business. Torn between interfering in his daughter's business and standing by and doing nothing, Max finally decided that doing nothing was just something he couldn't do.

Determined to get to the bottom of the situation, he had tracked Booth down in his office and demanded to know what was going on between the couple. "Did you get tired of her already? What the hell is the matter with you? I told you if you ever hurt my daughter I'd kill you. You do remember that don't you?"

Booth had been working on his gambling problem for weeks and having an angry father-in-law involved was the last thing he needed. "What's going on between me and Bones is our business, not yours. Go away Max."

His temper boiling over, Max closed the door behind him and stepped further into the room. "No, no . . . Tempe refused to tell me what was going on and I'm not going to let you do that too. You tell me why you aren't living with your family. What the hell did you do?"

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Booth tried to be patient. He really liked Max, but the man could be a pill. "Max . . . this is between Bones and me. I'm fixing it . . . I'm working on the problem and that's really all I can tell you."

Whatever the problem was, Booth was obviously taking responsibility and that made Max wonder what he was hiding. "You didn't have an affair did you? How could you do that? You . . ."

His patience finally gone, Booth stood up and leaned on his desk. "I would never do that to Bones, never you hear me? I gambled . . . I gambled and Bones found out about it and she kicked me out of the house." Breathing heavily, Booth finally sat back down and stared at his stunned father-in-law. "I'm a gambling addict and I let myself . . . Bones had to bail me out of a big mess . . . she did the right thing, kicking me out. She did it to protect herself and Christine. She didn't have a choice. There was no way she could let me stay while I was gambling . . . When she threw me out of the house I was in denial. I just . . . I just thought I'd made a mistake, but it was more than that. It was a lot more than that. It took a while, but when I realized that she wasn't going to let me back in, I knew I had to fix the problem . . . okay? Do you understand?"

Max sat down and stared at his son-in-law. Never would he have dreamed that Booth would do something to jeopardize his relationship with his wife and yet here they were. "I'm . . . surprised."

"Surprised." Booth shook his head. "Yeah, me too . . . I haven't gambled for eleven years . . . I guess I thought I was beyond that, but I was just kidding myself. An addict is never over his or her addiction. In my case, I'm either gambling or I'm not, but I'm still a gambler. There is no cure for something like this. It's just hard work and sadness and humiliation to get out of the hole you put yourself in. I'm going to my meetings and I'm working hard to fix my problem and it is my problem not Bones' problem. I did this, no one else."

Filled with sadness, Max crossed his arms against his chest. "Do you think she'll ever let you go back home?" _God, I hope Tempe doesn't file for a divorce. Please God don't let her do that._

"I don't know. I hope she'll forgive me someday, but right now I have to prove to her that she can trust me." He hadn't wanted to talk to his father-in-law about what was going on, but now that he was, he felt a sense of relief. "Trust is a big thing with Bones, you know that."

"Oh believe me I know that all too well." It had taken years for his daughter to trust him after he had abandoned her when she was fifteen. He had thought she would never let him be her father again, but after years of proving that he wasn't going anywhere she had finally started to trust him. "I'm sorry you fell off the wagon. Do you know why you did it?"

The cause was ever on his mind and he still wasn't sure if he had the right answer. "I went undercover as a gambler to find a murderer and while I was gambling, I won a very big pot . . . it was like something twisted in me and I wanted to gamble again. All those years of not gambling and they didn't mean a thing . . . At first I won, I won a lot, but it quickly went to hell and . . . and I lost a lot of money. Bones was threatened by my bookie and she paid him off to get rid of him . . . I didn't mean for any of that to happen, but it did . . . she was pretty angry and who could blame her? Anyway, I'm working on it and I hope she lets me come home some day . . . I have an efficiency apartment I'm living in right now. It's small, but it's what I can afford and still pay my bills . . . she lets me visit Christine . . . I've been babysitting when she needs me to, so she didn't cut me out of my daughter's life."

"She's pregnant." Max was starting to worry about the stress his daughter was under.

"Yeah." Booth was worried about that as well. "I'm trying to keep an eye on her. I'm helping out with Christine when she lets me and I try to make sure Bones is resting, but I'm not at home, so I can't keep an eye on her . . . I'm doing my best to fix this, but it's going to take time."

Max tried to think of a way to help the situation, but he knew that his daughter and son-in-law had to be the ones to work through it. If he tried to interfere he was sure Brennan would just become angry. "Look, I know I can't really do anything to help the situation. You're right, you have to get your problem under control and then get Tempe to trust you again. That's a lot on your plate, but I can help you in other ways. If you get lonely or need someone to help you when the gambling bug strikes then you call me. I'll get to you as soon as I can. I don't want you to be alone."

His father-in-law's words meant so much to him and Booth knew that Max was being sincere. "Thanks . . . I'm not really as alone as you think. Bones and I have been meeting every day for the last couple of weeks. We've been meeting at the diner for a meal and like I said, I've been babysitting my little girl . . . I miss being with that little monkey. She's a great kid and smart as can be . . . I hope someday that Bones will forgive me enough to let me come back home . . . I think I do better when I'm with my family, but Bones has to trust me first . . . I really hurt her and it's so stupid because I love her so much."

"I know you do." Max shifted on his chair and finally placed his hands on his knees. "She loves you too. The only one she loves more in this world is Christine, so I think eventually she'll let you come back home. Of course you can't screw up again. You know that right?"

"Yeah, I know that." His thoughts on Brennan, Booth still couldn't believe he'd allow himself to do the things he had done. _What a mess._ "Believe me, I regret it all, but like I said I'm working on this mess and Bones . . . Bones is in my corner. Without her I don't know if I could kick this thing, but she is and I will do what I have to do."

With nothing else to really say, Max stood up. "If you need me you call me. Anytime, it won't matter what time of the day it is. I'm in your corner too."

Booth stood up and reached over the desk to shake his father-in-law's hand. "Thanks, Max. Thank you."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	66. Chapter 66

(After 'This Light in the Life")

A/N: This is a sequel to Chapter 65 in 'Day After Day'. Thank you for your continued support of my stories. I really appreciate it.

Warning, rated T for language.

I don't own Bones.

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Jimmy Kosinksi was a fairly brave man, but every man reaches a point in time when common sense kicks in and they realize that there is something they should be afraid of. He woke with a headache and when he tried to rub the back of his head, he found he was sitting in a chair and his hands were tied behind his back. Struggling, he attempted to free his hands, but all he accomplished was to tear the skin on his wrists and the bonds seemed to tighten. "What's going on? Let me go." The bookie tried to keep the fear out of his voice, but he knew he had failed. "Hey . . . what's going on?" A thump on the back of his head told him he wasn't alone.

"You're a real piece of work, Jimmy." The voice was a tenor voice and very cocky.

"You're making a big mistake messing with me." Jimmy tried to take control of the situation. He knew that most men and women are incapable of murder and he would get his revenge eventually. "You better let me go or you're going to really regret this."

The chuckle behind him made Jimmy's skin crawl. It was low and very menacing. "That right? You ever heard of Columbus? I was part of the Mid-West Bank Crew back in the 70's? Maybe you're too young or just too stupid."

His throat suddenly dry, Jimmy blinked his eyes and tried not to panic. "Yeah." He nervously cleared his throat again. "Yeah . . . you killed the Deputy Director of the FBI a few years ago and got away with it . . . Everyone knows who you are . . .um . . . what do you want with me? I've never even met you before."

Amused at the man's nervousness, Max planned to use it to his advantage. Slowly, he walked around Jimmy until he was facing him. He could clearly see the beads of sweat on Jimmy's forehead and the nervous tick in his right cheek. "So, you know I'm a dangerous man, not someone to fuck with."

Jimmy couldn't help it, he was terrified. The fact that Max Keenan was letting him see him let him know his life was on the line and he might die very soon. "Look, what did I do? Whatever it was, let me fix it, okay? If I disrespected you in any way, I'm sorry."

A little tired, Max walked over to a chair he had resting against the wall and brought it back to place in front of his hostage. Slowly, he sat down, crossed his legs and stared at the trembling man before him. "You're a bookie." He said the word as if it were the filthiest word he knew. Max hated bookies. He didn't like people taking advantage of people's addictions. He and his wife had robbed safety deposit boxes for a living. They stole from people who had money and jewelry. They didn't prey on weak people.

"Yeah, I'm a bookie. I take bets." Jimmy didn't like the way Max was staring at him as if the man was trying to decide what to do with him. "Look man, why am I here? What did I do?"

His lips pursed, Max waited a few minutes before finally answering. "You threatened Temperance Brennan and her daughter because of her husband's gambling debt. Instead of waiting for Seeley Booth to come back from Iran and make arrangements with him to pay you back, you threatened his wife and daughter instead."

Furiously thinking, Jimmy tried to figure out why Max cared. "It was business. I wanted my 30 grand and I didn't think Booth had it, but his wife is a famous author and she does have money. I just wanted my money and I knew she'd pay it to make me go away."

Just to make sure Jimmy understood how much trouble he was in, Max uncrossed his legs, placed his hands on his knees and leaned forward. "Temperance Brennan is my daughter and her daughter is my granddaughter."

"Shit!" Jimmy was certain he was about to die. "I didn't know. If I had known that I would have stayed away. I would have never taken a bet from Booth if I had known he was your son-in-law. I'm not crazy."

"But you think it's okay to threaten mothers of small children?" Max stood up, slapped Jimmy hard on the face and sat back down.

The slap left the bookie's cheek partially numb and he felt blood leaking from his mouth. "It was thirty thousand dollars . . . it was just business. I wouldn't hurt Temperance or her daughter, it was just a scare tactic. I'm not a murderer and I don't hurt people unless I have to and I would never hurt a kid. If she hadn't paid up I would have found a way to make Booth pay up. I have to put the fear of God into people sometimes to get my money. They always pay up after they realize I mean business."

Disgusted with the whole situation, Max stood up, took a pistol out of his jacket pocket and aimed it at the bookie. "So, putting the fear of God in people can get you what you want?"

Desperate to get out of the situation alive, Jimmy cried out. "Look, I'm a small business man, but I can't go to the law when people don't pay me . . . I shouldn't have gone to Dr. Brennan for the money, but there was no way Booth was going to cough up the money . . . I wasn't going to hurt them. I was just using pressure . . . please, I have never killed anyone, you can ask anyone. I have never hurt a kid in my life."

"You're very selective in what you're saying aren't you?" Max was a con man and he knew that words were important. "You would never hurt a kid . . . you don't say you would never hurt the mother of the kid . . . also, if you know that Booth wasn't good for the money why take the bet? You knew who his wife was didn't you? You knew that no matter how much he lost his wife could cover it? Right?"

Filled with fear, Jimmy realized that what he was saying was burying him. "Tell me how to make this up and I'll do it . . . please, let me make this up . . . hey, you know I haven't told anyone about Booth and his gambling . . . I got my money and I let it ride. His career is safe as long as I don't talk . . ."

The bookies words were grating on Max and the old man knew that Jimmy could ruin Booth's career. Moving closer he pressed the gun muzzle against the man's forehead. "Of course, if your brains are all over this floor you can't tell anyone anything."

"No! No! I wasn't trying to blackmail Booth." Jimmy realized that he was just a hair's breadth from dying. "I just meant, I could have talked to reporters or called in a tip about Booth, but I didn't. I just wanted my money . . . please, I'll give it back . . . I'll . . . please tell me what you want me to do to fix this . . . I'll move . . . I'll move to the other side of the country . . . please don't kill me. I didn't really hurt anyone. I never really hurt anyone, just rough them up a bit. I just . . . I just let my clients know that they have to pay me . . . Please don't shoot me."

The raw fear coming from the bookie gave Max a sense of satisfaction. He needed to see that Jimmy was taking him seriously. After he lowered the gun, he turned to talk to a friend of his standing in the deep shadows. "What do you think? We could pop him one and dump his body in the ocean?"

Ben Dawes stared at the terrified man and thought about their options. "Yeah, we could do that . . . I don't know anything about boats though, do you?"

Max shook his head. "Nope. Got any other suggestions?"

"Wait!" Jimmy was truly terrified. "You don't have to kill me . . . please. I can move away. I'll never tell anyone about Booth's gambling and I'll give you the money. Give it to your daughter or keep it or give it to charity . . . I don't need the money . . . please, you don't have to kill me."

Dawes rubbed his chin and thought about it for a few seconds. "That money might come in handy. I know of two charities that could use it . . . course, it's up to you Max."

Certain that Jimmy was now in a pliant mood, Max turned to stare at their hostage. "We could let you go, but that would involve a lot of risk. I mean we'd have to keep an eye on you and make sure you don't tell the cops then we'd have to make sure you did what you said. It'd be easier to kill you than trust you. Know what I mean? We didn't get to be our age trusting people like you."

Desperately, the bookie shook his head and tried to plead his case. "Look my life is more valuable to me than money and I know who you are. I know you could kill me and so could whoever your friend is . . . Just let me go. You can come with me. I'll go to the bank and get the money and give it to you. We can go to my house and I'll pack my clothes and I can arrange to have my stuff packed and sent to me. I'll leave. You'll never hear from me again. I'll never tell anyone about you or Booth . . . please."

The Sheriff of Merville County stared at Jimmy and smiled. "Course if you did tell anyone, you wouldn't enjoy it for very long. You don't know who I am, but I do know who you are. It wouldn't really be anything to just get rid of you . . . Max, let's go ahead and let Jimmy go. You can go with him and get the money. Just mail it to me and I'll take care of it . . . yeah, I think if he leaves this could work . . . he knows if he makes trouble for anyone he could end up in the desert dying a slow and painful death or maybe a fast and painful death. I'll make up my mind when I have to."

Relieved to hear Dawes' words, Jimmy almost cried. He was past the point of caring about his dignity. "No I get it. I'll just leave and start a business somewhere else. I won't make trouble for you or Booth or anyone here. You can believe me."

Max stared at his gun for a moment and finally nodded his head. "We'll give this a try, Jimmy. If you fuck with me, if you do anything to try to hurt my daughter or granddaughter or Booth, if you tell anyone about any of this or Booth's gambling . . . well, you'll die in pretty short order. I may not do it either. My friend here might do it or a few of our other associates and believe me, there are a lot of us . . . you fucked with the wrong family, Jimmy. You fucked with me and I don't take that shit very well."

"No, I understand." Jimmy was praying that Max would release him. If he did, he thought Seattle might be a good place to move to or maybe San Diego . . . somewhere far away from Max and his friends. "You can trust me."

Dawes found that amusing and snorted. "No, we can't, but you can trust us. We are men of our words. Screw this chance up and there won't be a second one."

Jimmy nodded his head. "I understand."

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One week passed and Max walked into the Sheriff's office in Merville County and handed the Sheriff a bag containing $25,000 in cash. "I took $5,000 and opened up a saving account for my granddaughter. She deserves it."

"Fine by me." Dawes took the bag and grinned. "Kosinksi moved to Phoenix the dumbass. It's practically in my backyard. If he does something to screw any of us, he's going to find out what an Arizona desert is really like." Placing the bag on top of his desk, the Sheriff sat down and pointed at a chair. "Want a Coke?"

"No thank you." Max sat down and pointed at the bag. "What charities are you going to give them to?"

"The Navaho Water Project." Dawes glanced at the bag. "My sister is big on that charity, so I think I should help them out."

Tired from all the traveling he had done in the last week, Max rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Booth made a mistake, but he's in the program again and it looks like he's going to be fine. Tempe took him back and I think their marriage is safe."

Glad to hear the great news, Dawes smiled. "Great . . . He and Dr. Brennan helped me save my sister and I vowed that if they ever needed help I'd be there for them. Of course, I never thought I'd get the chance . . . Imagine my surprise when you contacted me and you knew about Dani and what had happened to her . . . How did you know anyway?"

Max shrugged his shoulders. "I know a lot of things especially if it pertains to my daughter. I checked you out and I knew you were the man I needed to help me. Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me." Dawes grimly stared at a picture of his sister sitting on his desk. "Dani is all I have. I've never had time to get married although that might change pretty soon. Anyway, it was my pleasure to help fix Booth's problem. If it wasn't for him and Dr. Brennan and Angela I would have lost Dani. The pleasure was all mine."

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A/N: We met Sheriff Ben Dawes in season 1, "The Skull in the Desert."


	67. Chapter 67

(The Dwarf in the Dirt)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I really don't own Bones.

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"See, Ms. Defonte, when a man can't have the woman that he loves he gets a bit crazy. One brother, he died for you right there. The other one, your husband, you put him through hell." She didn't want him to tell her husband about her affair with her brother-in-law, but Booth considered Nicole Defonte a fool. Of course her husband Derek already knew about it. He knew and Booth believed that Derek Defonte decided to kill his brother Bryce to keep Nicole for himself. It was just a matter of time before he proved it.

Love was complicated even when it was one sided. He'd awoke from his coma in love with his partner. He wasn't really sure if he had been in love before his surgery, but he had seen what life could be like with her and he wanted that life so much. He didn't want a life where he was just Brennan's partner and friend. He wanted it all, but he knew that he couldn't have it.

Brennan didn't love him not in a romantic way. He did believe that she loved him, but more as a friend. He knew he was right because if she did love him romantically he was certain that he would know it. He was a people person and he could read people like a book, or at least he could before his surgery. There was that niggling feeling in the back of his mind that made him wonder if his powers of observation had been destroyed, so that did sow doubt and that is where his dilemma lay.

After confiding in Cam and Sweets they had both tried to assure him that his love for his partner was just temporary and that in a few weeks it would fade away. They were afraid that he would hurt Brennan if he pressed his case with her and that held him back. He never wanted to be the cause of pain for his friend and yet, how could he forward his case with her if he couldn't even mention his love to her? His memory was a little off and his feelings seemed to be more intense since his surgery, but he remembered something his friends didn't know anything about.

He had been drawn to Brennan since the day he had met her. The sight of her was breathtaking and from that moment he knew that she would always be his standard when it came to beauty and intelligence. She had been so beautiful standing on the stage and her lecture confirmed just how smart she was. He had always been drawn to intelligent women and in his heart Brennan had been as close to the personification of perfection as she could be.

Of course, in reality she was far from perfect. She was a genius and she knew it. Brennan was filled with pride and wasn't above gloating about her accomplishments and she was the most direct person he had ever met. At first all of those things had been a source of irritation to him, but eventually Booth realized that she wasn't like anyone he had ever met before and her accomplishments were important. When he'd had time to think about it, he'd realized that she should be proud of everything she had done. He was proud of his accomplishment, so why couldn't Brennan be proud of hers?

As the weeks went by and he recovered from his surgery, all of his friends were determined to make him forget about his love for Brennan. They wanted him to let the idea go. What he couldn't really understand was why. Why talk him out of pursuing Brennan? Didn't he have a right to be happy? Didn't Brennan have a right to know that he loved her and wanted to be with her? What if what he wanted was what Brennan wanted? He wanted to make her happy as well as himself. Why was that so impossible? Why was that so wrong?

"Pops it's good to see you." Booth entered his grandfather's room and handed the old man a box of chocolate chip cookies and a bag of granny smith apples.

Surprised to his grandson in his room, Hank slipped his eye glasses off and laid them on the coffee table along with the book he had been reading. "Shrimp, did I forget you were coming today?" A quick glance at the calendar next to the door and he shook his head. "It's Thursday. You don't come to see me unless it's the weekend. What's wrong? Is Parker okay?"

"Nothing's wrong, Pops." Booth placed the cookies and apples on the coffee table. "I just came to see you that's all." His intention had been to talk to Hank about Brennan when he called in sick that morning, but now that he was standing in front of his grandfather, he wasn't sure if he should bring it up. Moving over to the chair next to the bed, he placed some distance between himself and Hank. "You doing okay?"

Hank might be old, but there was nothing wrong with his power of observation. "Yeah I'm fine." As he observed his boy's body language Hank started to worry about his grandson. "You're looking good. I was worried about that tumor thing and the coma, but you came through it okay . . . didn't you? You are okay aren't you? Be truthful Seeley."

"I'm okay . . . well . . . I think I've changed, Pops. Bones says I have and so does Sweets and Cam." Booth rubbed his hands together as if he was trying to warm them up. "I've forgot how to do some stuff. Not important stuff, but stuff . . ."

"Like what?" Hank was beginning to worry. "Seeley, is your tumor back?"

He was worrying his grandfather and Booth hadn't meant to do that. "No, no, it's still gone . . . I forgot how to work on plumbing. Bones bought me a plumber's book for dummies, so I got around that problem when I had to fix my pipes in my apartment, but there has been other stuff. Not important stuff . . . it's just, I don't think I'm me anymore. Some of me is missing."

"Missing." Hank's concern was becoming full blown. "Listen Son, just because you've forgot somethings doesn't mean parts of you are missing. I've been getting a little forgetful for years. It's part of growing old. I used to have a steel trap mind, but in my thirties I had start filling out lists when I went to the store. I've forgot a lot of things over the years, it happens. That doesn't mean you're not you. I guess the tumor they took out, it might have affected your memory, but you are still you."

Oh how he wished he could believe his grandfather, but the evidence was pointing to the fact that he wasn't who he used to be. "Did I love Bones before my surgery? Cam and Sweets say I didn't and that it's all part of the tumor thing. They . . . "

Snorting, Hank shook his head. "Of course you were. Cam and that kid is wrong. You've loved Temperance for a long time."

A little stunned, Booth stared at his grandfather in a state of disbelief. His mind racing, he finally protested. "But Cam and Sweets . . . "

Impatient, Hank leaned forward trying to lessen the distance between them without being obvious. "Forget those two . . . look, I can't tell you how many times we've talked about that partner of yours. You've talked about how beautiful she is, how smart she is, what a great friend she is to you, how much you really like hanging out with her . . . doesn't that sound like love? It does to me. I can't remember the last time we got together and we didn't talk about Temperance . . . You've been in love with her for a long time. I have no idea why you haven't tried to do something about it, but you love her, boy. This is not new. If anything I would be worried right now if you didn't talk about that partner of yours. You're still you, Seeley. If you've forgotten some stuff then so be it. You can always relearn that stuff, but you know the important stuff. You know who me and Parker is. You know we love you and you love Temperance. You haven't forgot the things you need to know . . . okay?"

A sense of relief filling him, Booth gave his grandfather a smile. "Thanks Pops. I really needed to talk to you."

"Are you going to tell Temperance you love her?" Hank stood up and with the help of his cane, moved over to where his grandson was sitting. As he looked down, he placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Tell her Seeley."

"I can't Pops. She doesn't love me." Booth raised his arm and placed his hand over his grandfather's hand. "She doesn't believe in love. If I told her I love her, she might look for another partner, friendship or not. She's . . . she's complicated."

Hank shook his head and moved over to his bed. Sitting down on the edge, he sighed. "So are you, boy. So are you."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	68. Chapter 68

(Season 12)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones, not even a little bit.

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Her daughter had graduated with her Master's Degree in Criminology and Cam was so excited about the girl's future. As a present she had given Michelle a trip to Europe to celebrate with plenty of time for her to be back before the wedding. She hadn't talked to her daughter about her future job plans since she knew Michelle didn't want Cam to interfere, but since she had her degree now, Cam thought she might put in a word with Hodgins and Brennan about Michelle working at the Jeffersonian. She probably should check with her first, but she didn't think it would hurt to talk to Hodgins and Brennan first after the wedding and everything had returned to normal.

Michelle had often talked about being a Forensic Science Technician when she had entered her sophomore year in college and as far as Cam knew her daughter was still interested in going into that field. Now with a Master's degree, Cam knew that Hodgins would hire Michelle if she really wanted the job.

Not wanting to push her into anything, Cam needed to talk to her daughter soon and find out what she really wanted to do. Michelle was very independent like her mother and if it looked like her mother was trying to use her influence to get her a job at the Jeffersonian she might turn it down on principal. Cam knew she's have to be very careful how she handled the situation.

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After the wedding, their world almost came to an abrupt end. The fact was simple, if Booth hadn't figured out what was going on, everyone in the Lab could have died, but he did and almost everyone had escaped the Lab before bombs exploded destroying that section of the Jeffersonian. After quite a few anxious hours, Booth, Brennan, Angela and Hodgins were rescued and Cam had never felt so emotionally drained in her life. The time spent waiting while her friends were trapped in the Lab had been the most terrifying moments imaginable. However it had happened, the four had survived and in the end they had all been found bruised and damaged, but alive and ready to fight another day.

Once the terror was over and Cam had time to think about it, she wasn't so sure that Michelle working in forensics was the safest job she could have. She only wanted the best for her daughter and the fact that working in a crime lab could be dangerous caused her to pause in her ambitions for her daughter. She needed to talk to Michelle as soon as she could, hopefully before she and Arastoo left for their trip to Mississippi.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Michelle waved at Booth as he entered the Founding Fathers. Happy to see his foster niece, Booth waved back and wove his way through the tables until he was standing next to Michelle. "Hey, I got here as soon as I could. What's up?"

Since Michelle wasn't alone at the table, she placed her hand on her companion's arm and smiled. "This is Toby Hastings. He and I are going to be going to Quantico together. "

His suspicions confirmed by her introduction, Booth leaned over and hugged her. "You're in? Your interview with Deputy Director Franklin was a success? That's great news. Another FBI Agent in the family. God, I'm so proud of you Michelle. Did you tell your mother yet?"

Surprised at what he was hearing, Toby interrupted the conversation. "Family? You're related to Michelle?"

Booth sat down next to his 'niece' and gave a drink order to the server now standing next to his elbow. "Michelle is my niece." Blood or not, Booth had claimed to be the young lady's uncle since she had been a child and she had been formally adopted by Cam. "Did you tell Cam yet?"

Michelle blushed and shook her head. "Well no I haven't. She and Arastoo are leaving for Mississippi tomorrow to pick up the boys and I don't want to make her unhappy."

"Michelle, you have to tell her sometime." Booth patted the young woman's hand. "You can't wait until you've graduated before you tell her . . . I can see it now, Mom I'm an FBI Agent . . . she'll freak out if you don't tell her soon."

"You're Michelle's uncle?" Toby had just met Michelle, but he found it odd that Booth was her uncle. "Her real uncle?"

Annoyed, Booth turned to look at Toby, giving him a hard stare. "You got a problem with that?"

Quickly shaking his head, Toby decided he'd said enough and didn't need the man's attention.

Ignoring the conversation, Michelle sighed and clutched Booth's hand. "A few years ago, I told her I wanted to be a Forensic Science Technician and that made her so proud. I think she envisioned me working with her at the Lab, but over the years, I watched you work and do so much good in the world, so many lives saved and I . . . I wanted to follow in your footsteps. I really want to be an FBI Agent, maybe even make it to Head of Major Crimes someday like you."

"Head of Major Crimes, wait . . . are you Seeley Booth?" Toby was both impressed and afraid of the man sitting at the table with him. Booth had a hard reputation, but one that anyone could admire.

"Yeah, that's me." Booth turned his attention back to Michelle. "I am really honored that you want to carry on the family tradition and go into law enforcement, Michelle. I really am. As smart as you are you might make it all the way to the Directorship someday."

Her cheeks dark from embarrassment, Michelle smiled and shook her head. "Well, I don't know about that. Let me pass the course and actually become an agent before we make such grand plans for my future."

Chuckling, Booth leaned back as the server set a cup of coffee on the table in front of him. "Ah, don't worry about that. You'll pass, no worries." After he sipped his coffee, Booth placed the cup back down on the table. "Do you know what division you're interested in?"

"I want to be a criminal investigator of course." Michelle sipped some of her coke and waved at Angela who had entered the building and walked over to the bar. "You know when you solved my father's murder, I was so grateful. I never told you that. At the time, I was too upset with the fact that Dad had died, but you and Temperance found out who killed Dad and that gave me closure. He was a good man . . . it was hard to believe someone would do that to him."

Booth placed his hand once more over Michelle's hand. "He was a good man. Cam loved him so much and she loves you too . . . So, when are you going tell your mother? You really need to tell her today, Michelle."

"I know and I will." Michelle laughed nervously. "So much is changing. In a few days, I'm going to be a sister to three teenage boys. I'm going to start Quantico . . . It's a lot."

"Yeah, but you can handle it." Booth noticed Angela walking over to the table. "Danger Will Robinson, incoming at eleven clock."

Toby didn't have the slightest idea what Booth was talking about, but Michelle did." Turning she faced Angela. "Hey Angela, how are you doing?"

Placing the bag on the table, Angela sat down next to Booth. "I can only stay for a minute. Hodgins is waiting for his lunch . . . How did your interview go?"

Surprised, Booth turned to look at Angela. "Wait a minute, you knew about Michelle trying to get into the FBI?"

"Of course, but don't tell Cam, she doesn't know yet." Angela stared enviously at Booth's cup of coffee. "Could I have a sip of your coffee? I think it should be okay . . . just one sip."

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth handed her the cup. "If your baby starts tap dancing don't blame me."

"I won't." After swallowing the one sip, the artist sighed and handed the cup back to Booth. "God I am so going to miss coffee until the baby is born." After she stood up, Angela walked around Booth and hugged Michelle. "Congratulations, Honey . . . better tell Cam today."

"I will." Michelle reached across the table, grabbed the bag and handed it to Angela. "I'll tell her tonight."

Once Angela was gone, Booth stood up too. After he patted her shoulder, Booth chuckled at the concerned look on Michelle's face. "Hey, don't worry about your mother. She'll support you, you'll see." _After she pitches a royal fit._ "I got to go. Call me anytime, you have my number."

"Thank you." Michelle watched Booth walk away and sighed. "My family is so complicated."

After witnessing the odd conversations that had just happened at the table, Toby had to agree. "No kidding."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	69. Chapter 69

(Season 12)

A/N: I had a lot of requests for a sequel for chapter 68. I hope this is what you wanted.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

She'd arrived at her mother's house unexpectedly. Cam and Arastoo were busy packing for their trip to Mississippi and hadn't expected Michelle to come for a visit so late in the evening. As she entered the house, the young lady hugged both her mother and her step-father and then followed them further into the living room.

"I hope you don't mind Michelle, I need to finish packing, but you're welcome to visit with me while I'm doing that."

"That's alright." Michelle followed her parents into their bedroom and stood near the door while the older couple continued to pack. As she watched, she realized that she was letting her task get to late in the day. "Um . . . Cam . . . Mom, I uh . . . I have some great news."

Arastoo noticed the nervousness oozing out of his step-daughter and suddenly had a sinking feeling. If Michelle was this nervous about her great news then it might not be so great for his wife. "What is it Michelle."

The quiet way her husband spoke caught Cam's attention drawing her gaze first to the grim look on his face then the look of worry in her daughter's face. Her packing no longer important, she stood up and folded her arms against her chest. "Michelle."

A nervous laugh escaped her lips and Michelle knew it was ridiculous, but suddenly she was afraid. She was afraid she was about to disappoint her mother and it was the last thing she wanted to do. "I have really great news."

"I believe you said that." Now Cam was filled with worry. As her mind raced with possibilities, her mind went from one possible disaster to another.

Bracing her shoulders back, Michelle knew that it was just best to say what she had to say. "I've been accepted at Quantico. I start the program in two days."

Stunned, Cam sat down on the bed and tried to wrap her mind around the news. "Quantico? The FBI?" She prayed she had misunderstood. "You're going to work at Quantico?"

"No Mom, you were right the first time." Calmly, Michele stood proudly in the doorway and smiled. "I'm going to be an FBI Agent like Uncle Booth . . . I've been working towards this goal for a couple of years now, ever since he and everyone at the Jeffersonian cracked open the Durant Case. I was so proud when you and Booth and Temperance exposed the treason committed by Glen Durant. My family . . . I was so proud to be part of this family and I knew at that point I wanted to be part of your work. I'm going to train at the FBI and I hope to be a criminal investigator like Booth. Maybe someday I might even be the head of Major Crimes, although I know that's a long shot. Booth thinks I could be Director someday."

"Booth?" Cam's eyes were now hooded as she took in the unexpected information from her daughter. "Booth knew about this before I did?"

Michelle could see the anger on her mother's face, so she tried to be careful how she answered. "I had questions about the FBI and who better to ask? He told me what I needed to do to get accepted at Quantico. After asking him questions like that, he knew. How could he not know? He's a great investigator and you know it."

Calmly, she stood up and flipped the top of her luggage closed. Trying to stop their conversation from escalating into a verbal war, Cam nodded her head. "I see. I'll talk to Booth later . . . What if I told you that I think the job is too dangerous and I don't want you to do it?"

Arastoo stood quietly near the closet and let his family iron out their problems by themselves. He knew his step-daughter could be head strong, but then again so could his wife.

"Did your parents try to talk you out of being a police officer early in your career?" Michelle chose to answer the question with questions of her own. "If they had told you not to would you have done what they had asked? Did they have reservations about you being a coroner? Didn't Grandpop try to talk you out of taking the job at the Jeffersonian and stay in New York as the Coroner there?"

Her daughter had brought up facts that Cam couldn't deny. Michelle was an adult and like her mother she wasn't going to let her family tell her she couldn't do something. Of course, when had she ever let Cam tell her what to do? "I see . . . you're right. I didn't let my parents interfere with my career choices and I suppose I don't have a right to interfere with yours either."

"Don't say it like that." She saw the look of resignation on her mother's face and she felt slightly guilty, but only slightly. "I'm an adult and I do ask you for advice when I need it, but in this case, I don't need advice. I know what I want to do. I have a Master's Degree in Criminology. That degree is going to help me move up through the ranks of the FBI. Booth told me that he wished he'd got a degree like that because it would have been a big help to him early in his career. Of course, he also told me that he's an instinct kind of guy, so he didn't really need it. Still, I couldn't be prouder of him if he was my real flesh and blood uncle. He showed me how I can make it into the FBI and make a difference in the world. I can do what you and he does. I can help stop bad people from doing bad things. That is a simplification of what it would mean to be part of the FBI, but really that is what I would be doing. I could continue Uncle Booth's work. He's getting old and he won't be able to keep doing what he is doing forever. Someone in this family needs to be able to step in for him."

Cam almost laughed out loud. Wait until she told Booth about Michelle's mission to help him out in his old age. He was going to be one very upset uncle and she wanted to rub his nose in it as much as possible. She needed some revenge for Booth not giving her a head's up about Michelle. Old indeed. "I see." She stood up and moved over to where he daughter was standing. Taking her daughter's hands in her hands, Cam smiled at the young woman. "I will support you no matter what you do, Michelle. You know that. That doesn't mean I won't worry about you and panic if you ever get hurt, because believe me I will panic." She engulfed her daughter in her arms and held her tightly against her chest. "I love you and I want what is best for you. I always have." After they had both hugged each other, Cam released her daughter and stared into her eyes with quiet intensity. "Did you tell anyone else before you told me?"

"I take the fifth." There was no way Michelle was going to throw Angela under the bus. She knew that her uncle was probably going to get an earful from her mother as it is, but also she knew he'd charm his way out of it.

"I see." Cam now knew that others had known about Michelle's career choice before she did and her irritation was back. "I would prefer you keep me in the loop in the future. I am your mother."

Michelle smiled. "Of course."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	70. Chapter 70

(Season 12)

A/N: I had a few requests for a sequel to chapter 69. Here you go. I hope this is what you wanted.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

She entered Booth's office carrying two coffees and a bag of donut holes. "Hi, do you have a minute?"

Wary of his friend, Booth knew it couldn't be good if Cam was bearing gifts, it never was. "Sure, come in." He placed his pen down on his desk and leaned back against his chair. "Welcome back by the way. How are the kids? They doing okay?"

"Oh, they're fine." Her adopted sons were adapting very well to their new family situation and Arastoo was enjoying being a father to three rowdy teenage boys. "Michelle is graduating from Quantico next week, so we came back to make sure she's not alone when she starts her new job." After she sat down, she placed the extra coffee and the bag of donut holes on the desk in front of her, but didn't offer them to Booth.

Booth nodded his head and decided to see what Cam was up to. "She's doing great. She's a fine marksman and I'm hearing great things about her from her instructors."

"So, you've been keeping tabs on her?" Cam sipped some coffee from her coffee cup and stared at her friend over the rim. "Michelle told me before Arastoo and I left for Mississippi that she had a long talk with you about the FBI and what it would take to get in."

"Here we go." Booth had known that sooner or later Cam was going to jump on him for not telling her about Michelle's plans. He was just surprised she had waited until she came back from her sabbatical. "She came to me for advice and I gave it to her. What did you want me to do? She wants to make a difference in the world and she wants to do it by joining the FBI. She told me that she wants to carry on the family business. She's smart, she's ambitious and she's in love with the law like we are . . . Michelle means a lot to me and I was proud that she came to me for answers to her questions."

Resting her cup on her lap, Cam decided it was time to go for the jugular. "Yes, I know. She told me she was so proud of us because of the good we do in the world and she was really impressed with how we uncovered Durant's treason . . . We had a meaningful conversation about her plans before she entered Quantico and she wanted to make sure I knew why she wanted to belong to the FBI . . . She told me that you're getting old and since you won't be able to keep doing what you do forever, she felt that someone in the family should step in for you when the time comes. That's why she wants to be an FBI Agent . . . to ease your burdens in your old age and to carry on the family tradition of being in law enforcement."

His tongue poking the inside of his mouth, Booth stared at his old friend with hooded eyes. The look of seriousness on her face was betrayed by the twinkling eyes and the slight quiver of her lips as she obviously tried not to laugh. "I'm not old. I'm 45 . . . Oh, and I'm the same age you are." He smirked at his friend as her expression changed to a definite frown. "I'm in my prime and I sure as hell am not ready to retire."

The reference to her age had been unexpected. Cam had forgot that Booth was quite capable of defending himself if he needed to. "Don't be so touchy, Booth. Michelle is young, so of course she thinks of you as being old. It's nothing to be ashamed. We are all going to grow old. The alternative is death and I'll take aging any day."

"Um, sure." Booth smiled a rather sly smile. "Bones and me are thinking about having another kid. We haven't decided yet and we may decide not to do it, but I'm more than up for the task. I'm not just young, I'm virile and I have the kids to prove it. Don't you forget it."

Amused, Cam shook her head. "Virile and young, huh . . . I know you're virile, but you are definitely not young . . . Truthfully, I'm not either, Booth. Forties is not young. It's middle aged at least if you plan to live to be 80 for so. Of course, the way you're going, you'll be lucky to get to retirement age . . . you really need to quit getting hurt."

"Yeah I know." Booth leaned forward on his desk. "Did you come here to give me a hard time about Michelle? She didn't want to disappoint you when she decided to join the FBI, but she really didn't want to work in the Lab like you had hoped she would. She was worried that you might take it wrong, but she told me that it's important to live her life as she feels fit. She's very independent, just like you, like Bones. She's had great role models growing up and you should know that . . . she had a rough break when her father was murdered, but she had the luckiest break when you adopted her. You've been a great Mom and you've given her the tools she needs to navigate in this world . . . of course her Uncle Booth helped a little bit too, but you don't have to thank me."

"I'm not disappointed in Michelle." She hated to think that Michelle didn't understand her as well as she should. "I just want her to be safe. She's taking on a dangerous profession and I'm worried and I have a right to be. I'm her mother. I've seen how many times you've been hurt over the years, the other agents working at the Hoover. It's scary . . . I've always wanted her to be safe."

"You really don't need to worry about her, you know. She's probably going to run this place when the time comes." Booth was proud of his family, all of it including the adopted members. After all, he had had to create a family for himself and he thought he had the best family ever. "She's been consistently at the top of her class and most of her instructors say they're impressed with her maturity and natural abilities. She's cautious when she needs to be and brave when she has to be. She's going to be a great agent Cam and I am so damn proud that she wanted to follow in my footsteps."

And she knew he was. Booth had always protected those around him and he had provided Michelle with a fine male role model when she was growing up. Cam could always count on Booth to be there for Michelle and her when they needed him to be. He was a great friend and she loved him for it. "I need to get back to the office. The coffee and the donut holes are for you."

Moving the bag and cup across the desk, he opened the bag and removed a donut hole. "You didn't poison these did you?" Studying it for a few seconds, he popped it in his mouth and savored the snack.

"Ha, ha very funny." Cam smiled as she stood up. "Make sure Aubrey doesn't see the bag."

Entering the office, Aubrey grinned as he handed a folder to Booth. "What's in the bag that you don't want me to see?"

Hurriedly, Booth picked up the bag and held against his chest. "Go away Aubrey."

The sugar at the corner of Booth's lips told him that the older Agent had donuts or something like it in the bag. "You know it's nicer to share."

"Who says I'm nice?" Booth opened his desk drawer and placed the bag in the available space.

Disappointed that Booth wasn't willing to share, he shrugged his shoulders. "Richard brought in some leftover birthday cake. Too bad you missed it. It was pretty good."

Amused, Cam chuckled. "I have no idea why you two aren't overweight." Moving to the doorway, she looked back. "Booth, you and your family are invited to a barbeque this Sunday afternoon to celebrate Michelle's success." The hopeful look on Aubrey's face made Cam realize that she couldn't ignore him and not invite him. "You're invited too Aubrey."

"Yes, thank you." With visions of ribs and steaks floating in his head, Aubrey followed Cam out of the door. "Want me to bring anything?"

"Just your appetite." Cam thought about it and knew she'd better buy an extra brisket and maybe double the coleslaw recipe, perhaps make an extra pie.

Sipping his coffee, Booth smiled as Cam walked across the bullpen followed by Aubrey. All in all, his conversation with Cam had been a success. He got a free cup of coffee and donut holes too, so his day was going very well.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	71. Chapter 71

(Season 11)

Thank you for your continued support of my stories.

I really don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

He stared at his wedding ring and debated for several minutes whether to leave it behind or not. Booth had worn the ring since he'd married Brennan and rarely took it off. It symbolized everything that he'd ever wanted in life and to just leave it behind made him feel a little anxious. He was going into a dangerous situation and he wasn't sure he'd make it back to his wife and children, but his brother's life and the lives of so many undercover FBI Agents were on the line and he had try to save them. If he didn't make it back, if he disappeared never to be seen again, he wanted to leave behind the symbol of his love for Brennan. He needed her to have something that connected him to her.

He longed to tell Brennan what was going on, why he had to do what he had to do, but he was afraid that she would insist on coming with him and that was not going to happen. Booth was going to be dealing with a very dangerous narcotics trafficker and several men that were friends of Jared that were in a hurry to claim millions of dollars over the dead bodies of FBI Agents. His children needed their mother more than he needed her help. He would do it by himself and ask for her forgiveness afterward if there was an afterward.

After he removed his weapons from his gun case, he slipped his ring off of his finger, kissed it and placed in the gun case. _I'm sorry, Bones. I love you so much, but I have to do this without you._

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

When Brennan had found Booth staggering out of the apartment basement, he had been on the verge of death. He had severe internal injuries and he had lost a lot of blood. Before the surgery, the surgeon had been quite clear about Booth's chances. They had been dismal at best. He had given Booth a fifty percent chance of making it through the surgery and Brennan wasn't so sure that wasn't being too optimistic.

As she sat next to his bed, staring at his pale face, his chest rising and falling in a shallow rhythm, she wondered if she would ever see his beautiful brown eyes again. He meant the world to her and she knew that if he failed to thrive, if Booth died, she would be bereft. She would go on as she must, being the mother of two young children, but her happiness would be gone and she knew it.

Tears escaping her wet lashes, Brennan removed Booth's wedding ring from her pants pocket and held it in her hand. She knew that he loved the ring so much and to part with it must have been so hard for him to do. "I have your ring, Booth. I found it in the gun case." She wiped the tears from her cheeks and continued to stare at the band in her hand. "I don't really know why you left it behind, but it doesn't belong in the gun case."

Standing, she picked up her husband's left hand and slipped the ring back on his ring finger. Raising his hand to her lips, she kissed the ring and placed his hand back down gently on the mattress. "It's very nice ring." She choked on the last word and sat back down.

Determined to be positive about Booth's condition, she wiped the tears from her face with a tissue and smiled. "I have told you more than once that you cannot die and I absolutely meant it. You are not allowed to leave me and the children behind. It is your responsibility to recover from this surgery and to come back home . . . Of course, I do plan to have a long talk with you about going on undercover missions without my knowledge. I expect that you and I will have a very raucous conversation about it, but I plan to win that argument. If you go undercover in the future, it must be with me or Agent Aubrey or you must decline. Under no circumstances will you ever go undercover by yourself again . . . yes, I'm sure you will remind me that you were with Jared, but we both see how that turned out."

Jared was a large sore spot for Brennan. The man had used Booth for years in a rather shameless manner. Her husband had once jeopardized his career with the FBI to get Jared out of a jam with the Virginia State Police and Jared had felt no remorse about it at all.

The fact that Booth's younger brother had saved Booth's life later was but payback as far as Brennan was concerned. He had owed his brother some loyalty and saving his life was the least he could do. Afterward when Jared had lost his commission and was given a dishonorable discharge, Booth had tried to help him, but Jared had floundered around. He had been unable to find something that he could believe in and in the end, he had attached himself to men who thought it was alright to sell the names of undercover FBI Agents to a very dangerous man. Jared had had enough decency left in him to realize what he had done and he had approached his brother one more time to help him out of a mess. He had not survived and Booth had barely survived and that was Jared and Booth in a nutshell.

"I'm sorry that Jared died, Booth." Brennan moved her chair closer and placed her hand over his hand. "He was always a failure and he was unable to change. He lacked your spirit, your drive to make something better of himself. He was an alcoholic and he didn't have the strength to stop unlike you. You know you have a gambling problem and besides the one slip last year, you have managed to not gamble for over eleven years. You have worked hard at your job and you have created a family that loves you very much. Jared couldn't do what you did and now he's dead."

She ached for her man. He tried too hard to do the right thing and sometimes he failed. He was human as they all were, but he always took his failures to heart and learned from them. Jared was dead and Brennan was certain that Booth would blame himself and he shouldn't. His brother had made mistake after mistake and his last one had been the end of him. "A life wasted. He could have done so much if he had just given up drinking alcohol and tried to live without it. It would have been a hard thing to do, but he didn't even want to try."

Brennan knew she would never forgive her brother-in-law for what he had done to Booth. Yes, saving Booth's life and been a good deed, but in the end, he had imperiled Booth's life and that was unforgiveable.

A moan drew her attention towards her husband. As she carefully watched him, he moved his hand over his stomach and groaned once more. His eyes flickered open and he stared at the ceiling. Booth's throat dry and rusty, he croaked out her name. "Bones?"

"I'm here Booth." Brennan stood up and smiled at her husband. "I'm right here."

His eyes were roving over her face and body, trying to accept the fact that he was out of the basement and that his wife was standing next to him. "Bones."

"Yes, Booth." Brennan gently moved his hand from over his stomach and placed it by his side. "Your surgery was a success and you're going to be fine." He had to be fine that was all there was too it. "I love you Booth."

His voice still rough, Booth smiled weakly and tried to grasp her hand. "I love you, Bones. I . . ." He cleared his throat and tried again. "I promised you I wouldn't die."

"And you keep your promises, Booth." Brennan held his hand and smiled. "You keep your promises to me."

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	72. Chapter 72

(After Season 6)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

As he carefully zipped up his jeans, Brennan stepped into the bedroom from the hallway and stopped just inside the doorway. "Why are you going commando?"

His pants safely zipped up, Booth turned and placed his hands on his hips. "Because we need to do laundry and someone threw away my emergency underwear, so I have to go to commando."

"I threw away two pair of your underwear that were less than ideal." Brennan thought it odd that he didn't realize that it had to have been her. "They had holes in them, they were more immodest than modest."

Shaking his head, Booth knew it was useless to argue, but what the hell. It was his clothes and she had no right to throw his stuff away. "As long as the underwear protected my boys then that's all that mattered. I only used them when I had to. Now I have to go to the store and buy more underwear and we need to do laundry."

"It is not necessary to keep clothes with holes in them when you can buy new ones." Booth puzzled her sometimes. He was very fastidious about his clothes and yet he owned clothes with holes in them. Granted he used them when he worked on his car, but she found that it was odd to see him wearing clothes like that. "I think we need to also come up with a work schedule for home. This haphazard schedule we are using right now it not really working. Washing our clothes when we run out of clean clothes is not very inefficient."

Booth agreed, but lately their work schedule had left them with little time to do anything else. "Yeah, we're going to have to come up with something. I can't go commando too often. I never know when you might want to strip off my clothes in the Lab. Don't want to give the squints a show that's for sure."

Amused, Brennan chuckled. "It was only once and you were covered in evidence."

Pulling a t-shirt over his head, Booth grinned after his shirt was in place. "You were just looking for an excuse to strip me down."

"I was not." Brennan shook her head in denial. "You were covered in evidence and I had to recover it. You couldn't remain in your clothes. They were covered in blood and flesh."

The memory all too vivid, Booth scrunched his nose. "Ruined my suit too. It was one of my favorite suits too . . . oh well." That case had been pretty disgusting. An exterminator had been murdered by being blown up and he had been speckled with the man's remains. Not a very happy Christmas that year for the victim's mother or anyone else associated with the crime. "We solved that case and that's all that matters."

"I actually have a load of clothes in the washing machine right now." It was Saturday and Brennan was determined to do all of the chores they had let slip by for the last two weeks. "Once we clean this apartment, we can go over to my apartment and clean it. We'll do all of the laundry here and there and once we are done we'll go shopping for groceries and underwear for both you and me."

"Oh my God, Bones." Booth let his eyes rove down his girlfriend's body and settled on her hips. "Are you going commando too?"

Since there was no use denying it, Brennan stepped past Booth and moved over to the bed where she began to strip it of its sheets, so she could wash them. "Yes, occasionally I have found myself in a situation that requires me to forego wearing panties. Our job is very time consuming and sometimes it is a while before I can do laundry. Like I said, we really need to come up with a schedule to take care of our basic needs." Pausing she placed her hand over her stomach. "We will be parents soon and we will be responsible for the care of our child. If we don't get into a routine now we will be in desperate straits if we run out of diapers and baby clothes later. We will only have ourselves to blame."

Booth agreed with the situation. "Yeah, you're right. The only thing is, you need to keep in mind that we can come up with a schedule and we can try to follow it, but me may end up letting some things go because we just don't have the time to do them. Let's worry about the basic stuff first and if the place looks a little sloppy and lived in well . . . we'll have to live with it. We're really busy and once the baby is here, it's going to get worse."

Reluctantly, Brennan had to agree with her boyfriend. "Yes, I see your point. We will try to make sure our place is clean and that our needs are met, but we may not have time to keep it spotless."

Amused, Booth chuckled. "Yeah, you've seen my place enough to know, spotless it ain't. My place is clean, but it would never make it into a fashion magazine. Not like yours or least like yours used to look. I'm afraid I'm kind of a slob and I own a lot of stuff . . . we'll work it out." Booth moved over to the bed and helped finished stripping it. Once that was done, he pointed at the bundle of sheets. "You go put these in the laundry room and I'll remake the bed . . . We're a team, we'll work as a team."

As she gathered the sheets into her arms, Brennan stared at Booth's hips and had a few naughty thoughts run through her mind. She remembered when Booth had told the 'truth only people' that he went commando sometimes when he ran out of clean underwear, but now that she had seen him do it, she found it to be a very interesting situation. She might just have to talk him into allowing her to recreate that situation in the Lab when she had to strip him to maintain the integrity of the evidence he had on his clothes. She would certainly like to strip him of his clothes when she knew that he was not wearing any underwear under his pants. It just seemed like something that she needed to do at least once.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	73. Chapter 73

(Just before season 10)

Tissue alert. ( I think. )

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

The situation was heartbreaking and that was all she had to say about it. Hank Booth had died quietly in his sleep and they would never see his smiling face again. She had seen him six days before his death and Brennan felt a little guilty that she hadn't seen him more often, but she was so caught up in trying to get Booth out of prison that she had little time for family obligations any more.

During that last visit, Brennan had worried about the frailness she was seeing in her husband's grandfather. He was looking worn down and weak.

"I understand Temperance." Hank hadn't felt it necessary for her to apologize. What she was doing was so much more important that visiting him. "You're busy and what you are doing will help Seeley."

Hank was tired of life and he just wanted peace. His beloved grandson was in prison and it looked like he'd never see him again, at least not in this life. "You have work to do. You need to get my boy out of prison. The longer he's in there the more danger he's in. You don't need to worry about me. Jared has been visiting me about once a week. I have my friends. I'm good. You just keep looking for a way to get Seeley out or prison. That's the biggest favor you could do for me."

She had appreciated his sentiment, but she did try to see him as often as possible. Now he was gone and she had to arrange a funeral for him. Her emotions were brittle and she knew that she would have to carry the burden for her husband. Hank deserved a dignified funeral and she and her daughter would be there to make sure that Hank's send-off was not done in silent isolation.

Brennan had tried to get permission to visit her husband after Hank died, but she had been denied that request. The Warden had claimed that Booth had made some kind of trouble and was in isolation for the moment, but Brennan thought that was a lie. His lawyer had been allowed access to his client and though David Barron was a great lawyer, he wasn't family and Booth had to hear that his beloved grandfather had died from the lips of an acquaintance. David told her that Booth had taken it stoically which frightened her. She worried about Booth's mental health. She wasn't allowed to see him to give him comfort and she was afraid he was too isolated from his family.

David was trying to use some of his pull to get her in to see her husband, but it was taking time. Too much time. In the meantime, she planned the funeral, made sure a loving dignified obituary was printed in the paper and that Hank would be buried next to his beloved wife. She just hoped it was enough.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

When she and Christine arrived at the funeral home, it was an hour before the funeral was scheduled to start. Brennan had wanted the body of Hank to be honored and she wanted Christine to get used to being in the room with the casket before the service started. The child understood that her grandfather was dead and she had been weeping for days. Brennan worried that her daughter was going to make herself sick from grief, but the child needed the emotional release and Brennan knew that. Christine's father being kept away from her wasn't helping the situation at all.

Sitting in the front row, her child on her lap, Brennan stared at the coffin and hoped that the cherry wood casket was pretty enough. She knew that it didn't really matter in the long run since the box would be buried in the ground and no one would ever see it again. That was beside the point. She wanted her grandfather-in-law's body to be surrounded by beauty and she had taken a picture so she could show it to Booth when she saw him next. She knew that it would be important to her husband, so she had paid more for the coffin than common sense dictated. The cost meant little to her, it was the comfort to her husband and child that mattered to her.

Brennan didn't expect anyone else to come to the funeral besides her brother-in-law, so she was surprised when her father sat down next to her. "Hey Baby."

"Dad." She was grateful that he had come, but it was unexpected. "Thank you for coming. I think Hank, if he was alive, would appreciate it."

Max placed his arm around her shoulders. "I liked the guy. He was honest." Max heard a noise behind them and glanced back to see the back row of the room being filled with the interns from the Lab. Pleased to see them he smiled at them and turned his head to face the coffin. "You really did a nice job with that coffin, Tempe. It's beautiful. Booth would love it if he was here . . . Did you take a picture?"

"I did." Brennan had also taken a picture of Hank's body in the coffin. The funeral director had given her an odd look, but she hadn't cared. It wasn't any of his business anyway. "I'll show them to Booth as soon as I can or as soon as he's ready."

His granddaughter's tears had not gone unnoticed. "Hey munchkin."

The child sniffed, rubbed her wet tissue under her nose and rubbed her eyes. "My Pops is gone."

"I know Sweetheart." To give his daughter a break, Max lifted the child from her lap and settled Christine on his lap. "It was time for him to go, but he loved you very much and he would have stayed if he could."

Christine sighed and leaned against her grandfather. "Are you going to leave too?"

A slight chill down his back, Max ignored it and kissed her. "Not right now. Not for a while."

"Good." Christine stared at her mother and sighed once more. "I want my Daddy."

Max rubbed her back and knew he was a poor substitute for what his granddaughter needed. "Hey before you know it, your Daddy is going to be home and boy is he going to be surprised when he sees your front tooth grew back. It's a real beauty. How much did the tooth-fairy leave you?"

"A dollar because it was my in . . . incisor." The child still had the dollar and was saving it to give to her father when he came home as a present.

"Wow, that's impressive." And it was. He remembered when he was a child and that his parents never gave him anything when he lost his teeth. _The bastards._ "The tooth fairy always gave your Mom a quarter."

While her father and daughter talked, Brennan looked back and noticed that Hodgins, Angela, Cam and Caroline were sitting behind her. "Oh . . . I wasn't expecting you to come. You didn't know Hank."

Caroline shrugged her shoulders. "He's family Cher'. You have to go to the funeral when it's family."

Hodgins nodded his head and placed his hand on Brennan's shoulder. "We have to represent Booth, Dr. B. He can't be here, so we have to be here instead. Like Caroline said, Hank was family and so are you."

"How are you doing Sweety." Angela worried that Brennan was looking tired, her friend was under too much pressure and Hank's passing wasn't helping the situation.

Brennan appreciated that her friends were there. She was feeling just a little less alone. "I'm fine. Thank you for coming."

While Brennan and Angela talked, Jared and his wife, Padme appeared. They moved to the front of the room near the casket and Jared wiped tears from his eyes as he stared at his grandfather's body. "Bye Pops." He crossed himself and with Padme's arm around his waist, he walked over to the other side of Max and they both sat down. Jared didn't really like his sister-in-law, but he appreciated the fact that Brennan was paying for the funeral. He knew he couldn't afford it and the coffin was beautiful. He also knew that his Pops was going to be buried next to Grams and that was a relief. He was certain that if Hank's remains were mishandled or buried somewhere else his brother would blame him.

Soon more mourners arrived and though Brennan didn't recognize them, she assumed from their ages, they were probably friends of Hank. She had thought she and Christine would be the only mourners and now she knew that she had made a bad assumption. Hank was going to get the funeral he deserved and for that she was grateful.

Oooooooooooooooooo

After the funeral and before Hank's body was loaded into the hearse to be driven to the cemetery, Brennan made sure to thank everyone that had come to the funeral. She had been so surprised to see her interns there and she had tried to convey her appreciation. She would send each of them a thank you card and she would remember to tell Booth that they had attended. She knew that her husband would be just as surprised as she had been.

The one dark stain that day was the fact that no one representing the FBI came to the funeral. She had found it galling that no one from the Hoover had bothered to come, but at that point she was glad that they hadn't. If they chose to believe that Booth was a murderer then it would be her duty to correct that misjustice and she would do it with relish and perhaps a little malice.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

The graveside service had been simple and the weather had cooperated. The day was bright and sunny with few clouds in the sky. While Brennan, Christine and Max stood near the grave site, Caroline, Hodgins, Angela, Jared and Padme remained close by responding to the priest as it was required.

While the service was being conducted, Brennan had noticed movement in the corner of her eye and turned to see Sam and Julia Cullen crossing the cemetery and joining the service. She was surprised to see them, but acknowledged their presence with a smile.

Once the service was complete, Max took Christine to his car and waited there for Brennan. He didn't want to rush her.

Approaching Sam and Julia, Brennan smiled at the couple. "Thank you for coming. Since no one representing the FBI bothered to come to the funeral I didn't expect anyone from the FBI to officially come to the grave site service. They are so determined to send my husband to the electric chair without a trial."

Sam blushed and Julia huffed out a reply. "They're idiots. We don't know what's going on, but Sam is sure that something is rotten in Denmark. We don't for a minute believe Booth murdered anyone . . . not one minute."

Not sure what something rotten in Denmark had to do with anything, Brennan decided it must be a colloquialism of some kind and chose to ignore it. "He didn't. He was set up. The men that attacked my husband in our home weren't FBI agents. My colleagues and I are currently trying to prove that fact."

"Do you know what's going on?" Sam had tried to use some of his influence to get information from the Hoover, but no one was willing to talk to the retired Deputy Director. "This whole thing seems bizarre and unbelievable."

Brennan was afraid to reveal too much. If what was happening was as bad as she thought it was, she didn't want to endanger the older couple. "I'm working on it. I can't really tell you what is going on. It might imperil your lives. My first goal is to get Booth out of prison and then we will work on finding out what is really going on and why . . . for now, it is what it is, a dangerous situation that you need to keep away from."

Julia sighed. "The least they could have done was let Booth come to his grandfather's funeral."

Sam shook his head. "It's a poor way to treat a decorated war veteran and an FBI Agent who has done so much good. I can't help but feel that . . . " Sam shook his head. Nothing made sense right now and he wished he was still working at the FBI. He was on the outside now and he had no influence at all. "I wish I could help Booth, but because I can't I decided to come to the service and show my support that way."

Hodgins felt that someone should warn Sam and Juila Cullen that they might be involving themselves in a dangerous situation. After he patted Angela's arm, he moved closer to the trio and spoke in a low tone of voice. "We really can't explain what is going on, just don't be surprised if they start watching you. You two need to be careful. Maybe it would be a good idea to buy an alarm system for your house or a dog or both."

"They?" Hodgins cautious advice sent a shiver down Julia's spine.

Certain the Cullens needed to take him seriously, Hodgins pointed towards two men standing under an oak tree in the distance. "We're always being watched . . . that should tell you all you need to know for now."

Sam glanced at the men in dark suits and smiled rather grimly. "I see your point. I think Julia and I might go visit my sister in Montreal for a while. Give someone a headache trying to figure out what we're doing. I think you're right. Now that we're here we're probably going to be placed on someone's list. Might was well make it interesting and expensive for them to watch us."

Julia reached out and clasped Brennan's hand. "We're on your side Temperance. We're on Booth's side too. We trust that he is a good and honest man and that you will explain what this is all about when it's done . . . I hope it is done soon. Very soon."

"Me too," Brennan glanced at the men standing under the tree near the parking lot and sighed. "Thank you for coming. If they question you please answer them truthfully. Try not to make yourselves look suspicious."

Amused, Sam laughed. "I'll tell them everything I know and that's nothing. I might give them a piece of my mind too, but they're just flunkies, so it will be wasted." He leaned over and kissed Brennan's cheek. "You be careful young lady and Julia and I will pray for you and Booth."

"Thank you." As Brennan watched them walk away, she felt that Sam and Julia's visit to Hank's grave site was a good sign that not everyone believed that Booth was a murderer. "We have work to do Hodgins. I will meet you back at the Lab."

"You bet, Dr. B." Hodgins motioned for his wife and Caroline to join him in his walk back to his car. Jared shrugged his shoulders and with his wife, returned to his car. Something was going on, but he didn't want to get involved. One Booth in prison was enough.

As she stood near Hank's gravesite, Brennan wiped a tear from her cheek and rested her hand on the flower covered casket. "I will save him, Hank. I promise you that. I will save your grandson."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	74. Chapter 74

(Season 10)

A/N: this is a sequel to chapter 73. It's a bit longish.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

She watched him as he struggled to come to grips with all the changes in his life. So many things had happened in the last four months that even Brennan had a hard time excepting it all, but her husband had been the focal point of Durant's ire and Booth had suffered the most.

Attacked in their home, their house completely destroyed, shot and seriously wounded, thrown in prison where he had been constantly abused had left Booth a man who had little trust for anyone. Add to that, his grandfather had died and their friend Sweets had been murdered.

He was living in a new home that he had not had a say in purchasing. Many of his things had been destroyed in the attack and only some of his antiques and collectables had been saved. Brennan had taken his cameras to a restorer who had successfully saved them, but so many of his things could not be saved and she knew he missed them.

When Glen Durant had been taken down and everyone had time to breathe again, Brennan had noticed her husband take the time to search the house one Saturday morning, pulling out drawers, opening closets, inspecting the garage. She knew he was trying to find out what he still had left of his personal possessions and it made her sad that he was discovering that she hadn't been able to save very much.

Booth had changed and that change was hard to understand. He tried to pretend he was alright, but Brennan knew that he wasn't. He no longer went to church, he didn't sleep more than five hours at night. His nerves seemed to be on edge and any sudden movement by anyone near him tended to cause him to react in a defensive manner sometimes startling that person and giving them a small fright.

What worried Brennan the most was the fact that he didn't talk about his grandfather. He hadn't visited the man's gravesite since he had come home and any mention from her about Hank usually caused Booth to leave the room. All of these things worried her. She needed to get Booth to accept the changes in his life, but he seemed more interested in ignoring the changes instead.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Not sure what he wanted to do for the day, Booth sat on the couch and stared at the large uncovered picture window. He really hated the fact that the window was so large and it exposed him to anyone that happened to be in the back yard. An enemy could easily shoot out the window and step right inside. Why Brennan bought this particular house was beyond him. The glass wall in his bedroom was rather voyeuristic and he had to remember to close the curtain every night before he went to bed.

He knew that she had done her best and the house she had bought was in a great neighborhood with a wonderful public school and a prestigious private school too. The front and back yard were large and it had a lot of shade trees which helped cool the house in the blistering summer. Still he had loved the old house and the new house left him feeling cold. Many of his valuable and not so valuable possessions were gone and he knew he wouldn't replace them. He had searched the house to see where his things were and to his sorrow he found out that little had survived the destruction of the mighty hut.

Durant had done a good job trying to destroy his life. Booth blamed him for so many things and the deaths of his grandfather and his friend, Sweets could also be laid at the traitor's door. He was sure that Pops had died from a broken heart. He had not been a robust man for the last year and when Booth was almost killed and imprisoned, he was sure the old man had had enough. How much sorrow was a man supposed to take? Hank Booth had had to accept that he had a monster for a son. Instead of being able to retire and enjoy that retirement, he had to take in two young boys and raise them. These young men had also been a constant source of worry to the old man and Booth was afraid the last four months had just been too much for his grandfather.

Perhaps if his father had been a decent man, Hank could have travelled and seen the world. If he hadn't had to worry about two young men in the military, he could have had a happier life. One grandson dishonorably discharged, one grandson eventually imprisoned for murder, what had that done to such a kind hearted soul? No wonder he had died. No wonder he wanted to move on to be with his wife. Booth felt that he had been a burden and it shamed him that his grandfather had suffered so much grief in his life because of him.

Oooooooooooooo

Brennen returned home and found her husband in the living room, doing nothing. She had had enough of his brooding and she was determined to do something to fix the situation. "Booth, Christine is with Max for the weekend. I need you to come with me."

Puzzled, Booth looked up and saw his wife standing near the counter holding her purse and car keys. "Where do you want to go? I'd rather just stay home. I've had a hard week."

Not to be put off, Brennan shook her head. "Come with me, Booth. We're going for a ride." When he didn't stand up, she set her jaw and decided to push him harder. "Get up and come with me, Booth. You aren't doing anything important that you can't come with me."

Her harsh tone was rather surprising and Booth wondered if he was about to lose his wife. "Sure, why not. It's not like I have a say in what happens to me anymore."

His words were harsh, but void of emotion and Brennan knew what she had planned was needed. "Yes, you have no say in your life. None at all . . . Do you really believe that?"

"I'm not sure." And he wasn't. He had meant the pronouncement to be scathing sarcasm, but now he wasn't so sure it wasn't the truth. "Maybe." Standing, he moved over to the front door. "Let's get this over with."

"What exactly do you thing we are going to get over, Booth." Brennan wasn't sure what Booth was thinking, but his attitude was bizarre and hostile and she didn't understand why. After Durant had been arrested, she had assumed that her husband would adapt to his new situation, but so far she had seen little effort on Booth's part. He had lost trust in almost everyone in his world except for her and that worried her. He had to adapt, he had to learn to trust again. Why couldn't he see that?

"I don't know, this is your idea not mine." Booth was growing impatient. "You ordered me to come with you . . . Let's get this show on the road or let me go back to what I was doing."

Her frustration level was growing and she decided that her plan was a mistake. "Never mind Booth. Go back and sit down. Stare out the window . . . I'm trying to help you, but apparently I don't know how to do that . . . I can't help you." Filled with sadness she walked down the hallway, entered their bedroom and decided that Booth would have to help himself. She clearly didn't have the skills that were needed to guide her husband away from the path he had chosen to take. She just hoped his path didn't diverge too far from hers.

He hadn't meant to upset her, but at the moment he didn't know what he was supposed to do to make her happy. Booth had thought that once he had found out who had tried to destroy his life, he could move on, but now he knew that wasn't possible. Too many people had let him down. Too many people had treated him like a murderer and a betrayer and now that it was proven he wasn't those things, his betrayers expected him to forgive them. Everyone expected him to go back to the way things had been before.

 _What a joke._ Everyone at the FBI expected him to be the man he was before his life was turned upside down. They wanted him to pretend that they hadn't betrayed him, almost killed him, destroyed his house, imprisoned him, beat him, humiliated him, kept him from his family, kept him from his grandfather's funeral and murdered Sweets. He was the one that was supposed to forgive them and trust them. It was such a bizarre joke. His life was a joke and no one could see that but him.

Staring down the hallway, Booth was torn. Should he apologize to Brennan or should he just let it go? He wasn't angry with her and yet he was. His wife was on his side and she had saved his life of that he was certain, but even she expected the old Booth to just appear. _The old Booth is dead. Why can't she see that?_

Guilt starting to build inside, Booth finally jammed his hands in his pants pockets and walked down the hallway to their bedroom. Scanning the room, he found his partner sitting on the chair near the bed, flipping through a photo album. _Everyone is obsessed with the past, even Bones._

"I'm sorry." Booth removed his hands from his pockets and crossed his arms against his chest. "You wanted to go somewhere and I should have just gone with you. It's not like I have any major plans anyway . . . I didn't mean to upset you."

She closed the photo album and placed it on her lap. "Your world is too small, Booth. You have decreased the size of your world so that it just has room enough for you and me to stand in it . . . that of course is a metaphor since we aren't really in a bubble, but you know that . . . You only trust me. Don't you see how dangerous that is? Don't you see you can't do your job at the FBI if you can't trust anyone?"

"I thought you wanted to go somewhere?" He didn't want to talk about trust or his job or forgiveness. He just wanted Brennan to accept that their world had changed and that the old world was gone. For the last few weeks he had tried to pretend that everything was okay and that he was fine, but as the days crept by, he was finding it harder to do. He didn't know what to do to make her see that what they had was enough.

Since he was now willing to go with her, Brennan decided to not question why and just follow through with her plan. "Good, let's go." As she walked past her husband, she paused and kissed him. "I'm trying to help you, Booth. Let me help you."

Booth returned her kiss and smiled. "I don't need help, I'm fine." He saw the look on her face and he knew that he had disappointed her. He had been doing that since he had forced her to leave the Mighty Hut before it was attacked and he was still doing it. He just didn't know what to do about it.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

As she pulled in the driveway, Booth stared at the house and wondered who lived there. "Why are we here? Who lives here?"

Ignoring his questions, Brennan left her car and walked up the front walk to the front door. Reluctantly, Booth left the car and moved down the sidewalk wondering what this visit was all about. As he approached the door his wondering ceased when the door opened and Julia Cullen smiled at her guests. "We were wondering if you were going to make it. Sam is in the back grilling. I'm so glad you could join us for lunch." Julia stepped past Brennan and hugged Booth. "I am so happy to see you, Booth."

Surprised that he had been invited to a barbeque by his old boss and his wife, Booth wondered why Brennan hadn't just told him. He wouldn't have turned down the invitation. _I think._ "Thank you Mrs. Cullen."

"Julia . . . please." Julia had always liked Booth and she had allowed herself to love him as a dear friend after he and Brennan had helped her daughter Amy. Amy may have died, but the woman who had caused her death had been convicted and was still in prison. She would always love both Booth and Brennan for that. "You know Sam is retired and not your boss anymore. Just call me Julia. I insist."

It made him feel uncomfortable and somehow it felt disrespectful, but he would try. "Alright." As he and Brennan followed Julia into the house, he noticed the neat living room, the soothing colors of the walls and the furniture and the portrait of Amy on the wall above the couch. He still felt bad that they couldn't save Amy from her cancerous death, but they had saved a lot of lives during that case and for that he was grateful.

Passing through the kitchen, they all stepped into the backyard where Sam Cullen was lowering the hood on a large gas grill. The patio was wide and partially covered in shade by a large oak tree not too far away from where the patio ended. The patio was covered in stones and contained a wrought iron table and matching chairs. The grill was located on the edge of the patio and there was a wooden bench next to it that held the ingredients for barbecuing. It was a nice patio and Booth felt a little envy. _Maybe I can do this at the house._

Sam smiled at Booth and moved to meet Booth near the table. Reaching out, he shook the agent's hand. "I'm glad to see you, Booth. I knew your people would find a way to spring you from prison . . . I tried to see you a couple of times, but each time when I got to the prison they said you were in isolation for some infraction . . . it was bullshit of course . . . I'm glad you're okay." He pointed at the chairs next to the table. "Have a seat. Want a beer or a Coke? I have wine and of course water."

"A beer would be good." As he sat down, he glanced at Brennan who was staring at him. He still wasn't sure why he was here, but it wasn't an unpleasant surprise.

Sam retrieved a beer from the house for everyone and joined his wife and his guests at the table. "I really wanted to help you, Booth, but once I retired I didn't have any pull anymore. I thought somethings were a little odd at the Hoover and the Justice Department before I left, but I could never figure it out and I thought it was just the times were changing. Boy was I wrong."

"It's probably a good thing you left when you did." Booth sipped his beer and placed the bottle on the table. "You might have ended up being burned somehow if you had stayed. Durant was trying to change out the old guard. The only one's he couldn't control was the Directors of the FBI and the CIA. I don't know if he even tried . . . a lot of traitors were uncovered . . . a lot." It was still upsetting to him just how many traitors had been caught in the FBI let alone the other agencies in government.

Julia wanted to move the conversation in a new direction. "Your grandfather's gravesite service was very nice. The bag pipe player playing 'Amazing Grace' made me cry."

"You were at the funeral?" This surprised Booth greatly, but then again up until now, he hadn't asked about the funeral, so he didn't know what kind of service Brennan had arranged.

"Oh, of course." Julia reached over and patted Booth's hand. "You couldn't be there and we wanted someone from the FBI to be there, so Sam and I made sure we were at least at the gravesite service. The priest did a wonderful homily and the flowers on the casket were so beautiful. It was a lovely service."

Booth turned to stare at Brennan. He had assumed that the funeral had been simple. Apparently not. "It sounds like it . . . I tried to go, but I couldn't get permission . . . My lawyer told me about Pops' death . . ." He didn't trust himself to say anything else.

Brennan finally spoke. "Caroline, Hodgins, Angela, Cam, Max, Jared and Padme made it to the gravesite service . . . I was going to tell you about the funeral and the gravesite service, but you didn't want to talk about it when I tried . . . I didn't want to upset you and force the issue . . . I have pictures if you'd like to see them sometime." This was why she had brought Booth. Julia and Sam had agreed to her plan and now it seemed to be getting the reaction she had hoped for. They had agreed to talk about Hank and the funeral to help him get closure and thankfully Booth was listening. Maybe he could get past his guilt for not being with his grandfather when the old man died. It had been Sweets who had explained to her why Booth was avoiding anything to do with Hank's death and funeral, but he had been unable to come up with a plan to help Booth. Of course, he was murdered shortly after Booth was released from prison and she no longer had his input into anything. This was Brennan's plan.

"You had two services?" Booth was a little confused. He hadn't expected any service and now he was being told there had been two.

She wished that Booth had wanted to talk about Hank earlier, but this was better than never. "Yes, the service at the funeral home was for anyone who wished to attend. I didn't expect anyone, so I was surprised when it ended up being well attended. Even my interns came. Hank's friends from his retirement home came. I think he would have been pleased to see the turnout . . . the gravesite service was for our family. Mr. and Mrs. Cullen were welcome of course. No one from the FBI bothered to show up at the funeral, so their presence was appreciated."

It didn't surprise Booth that no one from the FBI attended his grandfather's funeral. Still he appreciated the Cullen's showing up. "Thank you for going."

"Nonsense." Sam leaned back against his chair and glanced at his wife before turning his attention back towards Booth. "Of course we went . . . of course once we were there we realized that we had placed a target on our backs, but it turned out to be amusing. Some men in black started following us around as soon as we left the gravesite, so we decided to make it hard on them. We went up to Montreal to visit my sister. We just got back last week. It was a nice vacation, so no regrets."

So his grandfather's service had been contaminated by Durant. Booth was furious, but he kept that fury reined in. The people sitting with him had been there for his Pops even if he couldn't be. "Durant was dangerous . . . He's going to fry. Caroline says there are enough charges against him to make sure that happens."

"Yes, we know. He's a traitor and he deserves a traitor's death." Sam got up and checked the food on the grill. The aroma of cooking meat and grilling vegetables filled the air and Booth's stomach growled.

Amused, Julia laughed. "I know I'm hungry too." Julia stood up and walked into the kitchen to fetch the salad, paper plates, knives and forks they would need. She and Sam would take their time to allow Brennan and Booth to talk privately.

While Sam and Julia prepared to serve lunch, Booth moved one chair over and placed his hand on his wife's knee. "I should have asked about Pop's funeral. I assumed that you didn't have a service since you don't believed in God."

"But you and Hank do." Brennan shook her head. "I followed the customs of your faith."

"Thank you, Bones." He felt bad for doubting Brennan. He felt worse that he hadn't visited his grandfather's gravesite yet. "Maybe we could go visit Pops tomorrow morning."

She was glad to hear of his plan. "He loved you so much, Booth. He was so proud of you and he had a lot of faith in my abilities to prove that you were an honest man . . . He was getting old and he was tired. I think he would have tried to stay longer, but he was ready to die."

"I thought he . . . I loved him . . . He saved my life when I was a boy and I loved him so much." Booth felt a tear slide down his face and he hurried to wipe it away. He didn't want to cry in front of the Cullens'. He would mourn at the gravesite, but not at a barbeque.

Brennan clasped his hand. "I have pictures of the funeral. You couldn't be there, so I made sure you would be able to see some of it that way. When you're ready to see them let me know."

She always amazed him. "Not now, but maybe someday . . . someday."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	75. Chapter 75

(Season 11)

A/N: Mendenbar wanted just a little bit more, so this is a sequel to chapter 73 and 74. Oh, just to give you a heads up: Tissue Alert. I promise to write some cheery ones after this one.

I don't own Bones.

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The last year had been filled with horror and sadness, but Booth was starting to feel that he was starting to turn the corner. The violence he'd lived through had been mind-numbing when he thought about it. Attacked in his own home, the destruction of the Mighty Hut, the loss of his freedom the hits had just kept coming and once he was free and Durant had finally been arrested for treason, he thought he could breathe again, but it hadn't worked out that way.

He had lost his grandfather and his friend Sweets and if that wasn't hard enough to take, his inability to trust had been shattered.

Before Sweets had died, the psychologist had searched for a partner that Booth could trust once he was back at the FBI. Though Sweets had had good intentions, Booth fought not to connect to Aubrey. He had felt almost friendless when Sweets had died and his lack of trust didn't help the situation. It was through the efforts of his wife, that he had given the man a chance and he had found a new friend, someone he could trust.

Still, his life didn't seem to get better. Instead, he had done the unthinkable. He had started gambling again which had caused him to lose his family for a while. He considered it one of the lowest points in his life. In the past, no matter what had happened to him, he had been able to count on Pops to be on his side and later Brennan had become part of his support system. To endanger her and their daughter due to his gambling had proved to be the worst moment of his life.

His wife had asked him to leave their home and who could blame her? Certainly not him. He had betrayed her trust and it had taken him many weeks to get it back. Once he was back home, he thought things would get better, after all how much bad luck could a man have?

Then his brother had shown up a few months later and that forced Booth to risk his life and the life of his brother to save a group of undercover FBI Agents from a ruthless drug lord's plot to have them killed. They had succeeded, but it had cost Jared his life and had almost cost him his life. If not for the fact that Brennan and his friends had fought to help him, he was certain that things might have not turned out as well as it had for him.

The next few months of calm seemed to settle over his life and it seemed that he might get to finally have some peace in his life. As those months went by, he grew confident that he could trust the people he worked with and finally he could stop worrying about the motives of those he worked with. He allowed himself to trust Aubrey and added him to his very small list of friends. It was a start anyway.

Ooooooooooooooo

Booth was searching through the photo albums and scrapbooks, but so far, he had been unable to find what he was looking for. As he flipped through each page his impatience was staring to grow. Slamming the book cover closed, he leaned on the bar and glared at the last scrapbook in the house. "Damn it!"

Witnessing Booth's evident anger as she entered the room, Brennan paused near the kitchen island and wondered what was going on. "What's wrong? You appear to be angry about something."

Reining in his anger, Booth turned to face his wife. "I'm not angry. I'm just looking for something and I can't find it."

Curious, Brennan moved closer to the bar and placed her hand on the back of one of the chairs sitting in front of the bar. "Maybe I can help you look for it." She noticed the scrapbooks and was curious about his search.

Folding his arms against his chest, Booth nodded his head. "I was looking for the pictures you took at Pops' funeral. I think it's time I looked at them."

Surprised, Brennan smiled and nodded her head. Walking past him, she patted his crossed arms and continued to the bookshelf that normally held the scrapbooks. Removing a small black and red plaid covered book from the shelf, she brought it back to her husband and handed it to him. "Christine likes to look at the scrapbooks and photo albums and I didn't want to remind her of Hank's death every time she looked at them."

He had seen the book on the shelf, but he had assumed it was one of Brennan's notebooks. She had lost some of her books when the Mighty Hut had been destroyed and she considered them a great loss, but she had saved a few of them. "Thanks." Placing the book on the bar, he stared at the bookplate attached to the front cover, 'Hank Joseph Booth'. Nervously he licked his lips and tried to control his emotions. He had thought he was ready, but now he wasn't so sure. "Um, it's a nice bookplate."

"Thank you." Brennan saw her husband struggling to begin his task, but she wasn't sure how to help him. "If you're not ready, I'll put it back on the shelf. It will be there whenever you're ready."

He appreciated her suggestion, but he had waited long enough. Slowly shaking his head, he moved his hand and flipped the cover open. The first page held his grandfather's obituary which looked rather long. Bracing himself, he read it and found it to be concise and yet endearing. It listed Hank's surviving family members and names of some of his friends. There was mention of his service in the Army and the Purple Heart he had earned while serving. His career in the Philadelphia Police Department was highlighted and there was mention of the medals he had earned as a police officer. Booth noted the Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart which his grandfather had received in a shootout during a bank robbery and his safe driving medal. He was surprised that Brennan knew about the medals, but then again, he should have known that she would have made sure of all the facts before she had the obituary printed.

As he read it he found at the end a poem that almost had him in tears. "I may not always be with you, But when we're far apart, Remember you will be with me, Right inside my heart – Marc Wambolt

Clearing his throat, he rubbed his right eye and refused to look at Brennan. While he hesitated to turn the next page, Brennan moved closer to him and rubbed his lower back, slowly, in small circles. "Was it alright?"

Rubbing his eyes once more, he nodded his head almost unable to speak. "Of course it was . . . of course it was Bones." His voice was tight with emotion, but he knew that he needed to turn the page. Brennan had saved this for him and he was as ready as he would ever be.

The next page showed the outside of the funeral home. It looked like a nice place with its natural brick walls and the apricot tea roses planted along the entire length of the building, stopping where the entrance was. "It's a nice funeral home."

She didn't say anything. She knew that Booth was trying to gain courage to turn the page which he did shortly afterward.

He felt his heart beat a little faster as he stared at the coffin. It was taken from the back of the room, so he could see it in its entirety. It was made from dark cherry wood and it glistened in the lights overhead. Booth knew she had probably paid a fortune for the casket, but he also knew that Brennan had probably done it as a sign of respect. He knew his wife honored all cultural rituals and the casket was truly beautiful. Turning the next page, he beheld the body of his beloved grandfather. The old man looked as if he was sleeping surrounded by light blue satin which lined the inside of the casket. He wore his favorite navy suit and a crisp white shirt. His tie looked new and was a patriotic red, white and blue. Pinned to the lapel of the jacket was a small American flag pin made from what looked like enamel work on yellow gold.

"Wow, Bones." He wasn't sure what else to say. He hadn't been sure what to expect, but he could tell that Brennan had made sure his grandfather had been buried with dignity and with love.

Carefully, he turned the pages and saw a picture of the flowers surrounding the casket and one of the priest who had led the service. Next came a picture of the cemetery and a closeup of his grandmother's tombstone and Hank's casket on a dais next to her grave. The casket was covered in flowers and there were flowers in vases on his grandmother's grave. The whole setting was beautiful and he knew that the air must had smelled great from all the flowers that he saw. Last was a picture of the bagpiper playing for Pop's funeral and he suddenly felt tears flowing down his cheeks. Sobbing he turned and pulled Brennan into his embrace, resting his forehead on her shoulder.

Brennan felt so sad for her husband, but she knew that he needed the emotional release. He was mourning for a life he would never have again and his tears would help him to let the past go just like her tears had done for her after the funeral and again when Booth was home in their new house.

"He loved you so much, Booth." She felt her own tears start to trickle down her cheeks as her husband wept. "He spoke of you every time I visited him and he was very confident that you would be exonerated eventually. He had a lot of faith in you and knew you were a man of honor."

Booth continued to weep as he listened to Brennan talk about his grandfather. He had been blessed to have had someone like Hank Booth in his life and he would be forever grateful. "He was my father, Bones. He was my father."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	76. Chapter 76

(Season 6)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

A/N: Okay, I promise. You won't need a tissue for this story.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

When Brennan had a decision to make, she made lists. It was the logical thing to do. After her mental breakdown during the Lauren Eames case she had confessed to Booth that she had made a mistake by not accepting his offer in front of the Hoover. Her confession had been too late and they both knew that. Booth had moved on and she had to accept that.

Angela had told her to move on and forget about Booth and Hannah had agreed. Booth was unavailable and as much as she wished she could change the past she knew that was an impossibility. She had refused to try to have a relationship with him and though it had taken several months, Booth had found someone that was willing to do what she couldn't. The situation appeared to be immutable.

The piece of paper lay on the table in front of her and her pen was ready for use. First, she had to decide what the list was about. Tapping the end of the pen against the table, she finally nodded her head and wrote two words on the top of the page. Hannah and Brennan.

Clearly those words didn't reflect her original intent, but as she had sat at the table, she began to wonder if Angela and Hannah were correct in their assessment. Angela was her best friend, but the artist had a tendency to throw Booth under the proverbial bus if it appeared that he was hurting her friend in any way. Brennan loved Angela, but her friend was too emotional and the rational part of her brain was easily drowned out in emotional storms. And then there was Hannah. She was Booth's girlfriend and she had a vested interest in Brennan moving on to someone else. She considered Hannah to be a friend, but was she really and did she really have Booth's or her best interests in mind? She wasn't so sure. No one was that logical, not even her.

So Hannah and Brennan was now written on the paper. What did she want to list under these names? What did she hope to accomplish, to decide? Of course her original intent had been to see who she should seek out in the future as a companion if she decided she wanted one, but now that she had time to think she had another puzzle that she needed to work out. She needed to prove that she needed to move on. One step at a time that was how things should work. If it was true that there was no a future with Booth then she would create a new list, in the meantime, Hannah and Brennan.

First she listed how long they had both known Booth, Hannah . . . 6 months, Brennan . . . 5 years. Well that certainly was a huge time difference wasn't it? Perhaps she should have written down 6 years under her name, but to be honest they had only been working together for 5 years. They barely talked the first year due to a misunderstanding. So five years almost six.

The next subject that came to mind is what they had in common with Booth. Hannah . . . Booth saved her life once . . . they had had sex under a fig tree (information that she hadn't really needed) . . . She had kept him from being lonely. That didn't seem to be very much to Brennan. They were very different people. Hannah was a reporter, Booth was a policemen who barely tolerated the press . . . Hannah never seemed to be home very long because of her job and Booth was a homebody. A very odd combination that shouldn't work.

So now Brennan . . . what did she have in common with Booth? . . . They worked together to catch murderers and they were very successful . . . They both had appalling childhoods, but had successfully overcome those abusive situations and had become successful in their fields . . . they enjoyed their companionship (or at least they used to before Hannah had entered the picture). Booth still ate meals with her and they had their celebratory drinks after a successful case, so yes they were still companionable, they were still friends . . . Booth had saved her life a few times and she had saved his . . . they could count on the other to be there when they needed them . . . yes, a satisfactory list and a lot in common.

Hannah . . . Booth claimed to love her. Brennan . . . he had never actually used those words unless she wanted to count that atta girl kind of love declaration he had stated a few months are his brain surgery . . . that had been a rather odd thing to say, but she knew that he did love her and she loved him . . . perhaps just as friends perhaps more, it was hard to say . . . She was still wary of that particular emotion. It was fraught with danger, but she did have proof of his love. He had once offered to let her use his semen to produce a baby. Booth was not someone to give anyone that piece of him unless he felt something for them. She felt she was on to something with that course of reasoning, but then again, she was terrible when it came to social contracts, so maybe she was wrong . . . no, it didn't seem wrong, so that was a plus in her column.

She wasn't sure what else she should list under their names. The positives seemed to be on her side, but Hannah had Booth and she didn't and that started her to thinking. She thought about Booth's past, or least what she knew about his past. Curious, she wrote his name on a separate piece of paper and began to make a new list.

Booth had served in the Army since he was twenty years old. He was a sniper and one of the best. He had had numerous affairs in his life, but he rarely talked about any of them. She knew about one of his youthful attachments in high school with a girl named Karen and an affair in college, which had involved Cam. He had been with Rebecca long enough to produce Parker. She knew about Tessa and Catherine. All in all, Booth had never had any long lasting relationships with anyone. They all seemed to end in failure. Alright that was an interesting fact and not to be discounted.

Perhaps she should remove Catherine from the list. After all she and Booth had only dated twice. Yes, it wasn't fair to include Catherine.

The fact was, Booth's affair with Hannah was probably doomed to fail. He was attracted to the wrong people or so it seemed. Each woman he had failed with was very independent, a rising star in their field. Their careers meant more to them than Booth.

The women Booth had had a past with eventually separated from him because they didn't want the same things he did. Booth wanted someone to commit to him, to eventually marry him, to create a family with him. He wanted the white picket fence and the house in the suburb.

Hannah would never give him that. She was a nomad who didn't believe in settling down. Surely Booth could see that for himself. Hannah had made it clear she was a nomad, Booth had to know that she would not stay with him long . . . so, Hannah was not going to be around forever. Not if her past and Booth's past were to be taken into account.

Well, that meant that moving on with someone else might be premature. When Booth's affair eventually failed, she would be there to help him as a friend, because he was going to take that failure with Hannah very badly. She knew Booth, he had romantic ideas about love that rarely held true. She knew that even if he didn't.

Brennan knew she could move on, but she didn't really want to. Someday, Booth was going to be available again and when he was she wanted another chance to have something with Booth. She wasn't sure how that would be accomplished since she had turned him down once, but Booth often talked about second chances and he believed that everyone deserved one, even her, even him.

Yes, she would wait and see how the next few months played out. If she was wrong, it would not be too late to move on. After all she was young and she had time to find a companion, if she really wanted one. Right now, at that moment, she didn't mind being alone. She had been alone most of her life and she knew that just because you were alone that didn't make you lonely. A lesson Booth had yet to learn.

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Probably OC. Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	77. Chapter 77

(Season 9, The Secrets in the Proposal)

A/N: MstgSzy and Jazzyproz wanted a sequel to chapter 76, so here it is.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Frustrated, angry and afraid, Booth spent that Saturday cleaning out the garage. He had a small television sitting on a shelf that he normally had tuned into whatever game was playing while he was in the garage, but now the television was unplugged and covered with a blanket.

At a time when he should be the happiest man in the world, he was struggling to keep his family together and he was afraid he was going to fail. Just a few short months earlier, Brennan had asked him to marry him which had made him giddy with joy. He had never thought she would ask and he had been both shocked and over joyed when he had said yes. Then his world fell apart because of a vicious murderer and his explicit threats. Christopher Pelant had threatened to kill five strangers and possibly keep killing more if Booth didn't turn down Brennan's proposal. Filled with rage, he had seriously considered telling the serial killer to go to hell, but in the end, he had done what Pelant had asked of him and he had been paying the price ever since.

Of course, Brennan hadn't known why he had turned her down and she had grown distant and angry with him over the months. He had worked long hours trying to track down Pelant to end his nightmare and it was causing his home life to tatter in front of his eyes. Tired and upset, he had decided to take a day off and not worry about what was going on in his life. He wanted some peace and he knew that Brennan would give it to him since she was barely talking to him at the moment.

As he moved boxes around, he read the words printed on each box and tried to determine if the contents were worth keeping. Opening a box marked electronics, he found two old radios, three computer keyboards, a mouse, two modems and several cables and wires. Taping up the box he carried it out to the road for trash pickup and returned to the garage. At the moment, he didn't trust any electronic device he owned or was near and getting rid of the radios made him feel safer.

Checking through the boxes, he found a box marked 'keep'. It wasn't a very helpful label, but since it was Brennan's handwriting, he knew he would have to check with her before he threw anything away. Lifting the lid, he looked inside and found a lot of hardback books and several notebooks. Brennan was a bibliophile and probably couldn't throw a book away if her life depended on it. Lifting out each book, he noticed that they were classics and probably worth keeping. He loved books too, but not like his partner. Still classics were always worth the space they took up in a house. The notebooks were filled with lists, notes and observations which made Booth curious. Pulling them from the box, he placed them in order from the dates on the front covers. He checked the first one and found it was filled with school notes, observations about fellow classmates and lists of things that needed to be done or Brennan planned to do for each class she was taking in high school.

Skipping to later dates he spied a notebook that covered a time when they were struggling to remain friends and partners. Hannah had been in his life at the time and he had tried to keep his friendship with Brennan while living with someone else. It had been a time of uncertainty and heartache for both of them. Flipping through the notebook he found two sheets of paper folded and stuck in the pages. Curious, he opened them and found one sheet titled, Hannah / Brennan and the other sheet was titled Booth. As he read the first list he realized it was a pro and con sheet. He had seen Brennan make them out many times during their partnership and he knew it helped her organize her thoughts.

The purpose of the Hannah / Brennan sheet seemed to be clear. She had listed the pros and cons of knowing him for each person. All the pros had favored Brennan which didn't surprise Booth at all. She had been right, but still Hannah had been living with him at the time, so the list seemed to be useless to him. The Booth list seemed to be a list of his romantic failures and that irritated the shit out of him. "Now why the hell did she make a list of my failures in the romantic department . . . oh . . . okay, I get it. I get it." And he did. His history with women at the that time had been pretty dismal. The longest relationship he had ever had up to that time had been with Rebecca and it had ended in a spectacular failure, well except for Parker. His son was his greatest accomplishment up to that point and he loved his son so much, so the heartache that resulted from being separated from Rebecca had been worth the pain to him.

Brennan had obviously considered moving on in a relationship with someone else at the time, but before she did that she had made sure she needed to. His status as a loser with women apparently had given her reason to wait to see if his relationship with Hannah would last and true to his nature, he had failed once more. Annoyed, he placed the notebook and hardback books back in the box and taped the box closed. Placing it on the top shelf, he sat down on a bench stool, grabbed a pencil and wrote on the wooden bench before him, 'Why Bones should trust me'.

He didn't know why he was making the list, but if Brennan could make a list of his disasters then he should be able to make a list about himself that showed his good side, that he wasn't a loser.

Careful to be objective or as objective as someone can be when you're rating yourself, Booth listed his trustworthy qualities. 'Loyal, fair, faithful'. "Okay now I sound like a dog." Crossing a line through each word he'd written, he began again. 'Saved Bones from the Gravedigger. I never gave up.'

Okay that was more like it. What else? 'Protected her when I could'. 'Never walked away from her'. 'Honest'. 'Best friend'. 'I love her'. 'I'd die for her'. 'I'd kill for her'. 'I would never hurt her on purpose'. And yet that was what he was doing at the moment and his list suddenly seemed ridiculous. Before he could erase it, his phone rang. He was needed at the Hoover as soon as possible. Clancy Germany had been captured and he was being bought in by the Virginia State Police. The Deputy Director wanted him down at the Hoover pronto. Throwing the pencil down on the bench, he hurried in to the house to change clothes and left a note to tell Brennan where he was. Not that she really cared at the moment, but he still owed her an explanation where he was. Hopefully they would also wrap up the Jonas Siedel case soon and he could concentrate on finding Pelant. He prayed he would find him before Brennan left him. Filled with cold anger, he vowed to kill the serial murderer the minute he saw him. It was what the bastard deserved.

Ooooooooooooooooo

She had found a business card in Booth's jacket pocket and decided to see why he was going to a club called Paradise Lost. It seemed out of character, but she had become concerned that he might be looking for a new mate there. After she had talked to the owner she came to realize that there was more going on with Booth and that her jumping to conclusions was not helping the situation. Whatever he was up to, the bar owner had assured her that Booth loved her and wanted to marry her. Something was preventing him from going through with the marriage and it must be terrible if Booth was keeping that reason a secret from her and everyone else.

After she arrived home, she found the note from Booth and thought it was time to start treating him like her partner and not her enemy. It had been awhile since she had cooked one of Booth's favorite dishes and she decided to do it that night. Their freezer was in the garage and she had to retrieve some frozen veal if she wanted to cook some Scallopini. While she was in the garage she noticed that Booth had left the light on over his work bench and she decided to turn it off. While she was leaning over the bench, she looked down and noticed a list written in pencil on the wooden surface. Placing her hands on both sides of the list she read it and felt a wave of sadness move through her.

Booth had been telling her for months that he loved her and she had chosen not to listen because his refusal to marry her had hurt so much. The list was like a silent plea for someone to listen to him and it made her feel sad that no one had done that. He was alone in whatever was going on and it made her both angry and heartbroken. She loved Booth and she trusted him and she knew that if he could tell her what was going on he would.

Determined, she cooked dinner for him, set the table and waited for him. Christine was with Angela and Hodgins' house and Brennan was determined to have an honest conversation with her lover that night. She trusted him and she would assure him that she still loved him. Hopefully someday he would explain his bizarre behavior to her, but in the meantime, she trusted him. She would always trust him.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	78. Chapter 78

(The Secrets in the Proposal)

A/N: Guest and kareneb wanted a little more. This is a sequel to chapters 76 and 77. I hope this is what you wanted.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

The case was over and the arrest had been made. Booth knew that he and Brennan were at a breaking point and it was his fault. Pelant had forced him to turn down Brennan's marriage proposal and by doing that he had witnessed Brennan slowly turn away from him, falling out of love with him and it made him feel sick. He didn't know how he was going to get her to see that he was still the same Booth before she had made her marriage proposal, but if he didn't do something he was going to lose his one true love and he didn't know if he could continue if that happened.

He entered their house and found Brennan sitting at the dining room table, drinking a glass of wine. Somehow that hadn't been what he had expected and it seemed like she was waiting to tell him that they were through. He almost panicked when she stood up, placed the wine glass down on the table and faced him.

"Booth, I have to tell you something." She noticed that he was nervous and she wasn't sure why, but then again, she hadn't understood anything her boyfriend had done for the last few months let alone why.

As close to panic as he had ever been, Booth stepped towards her and held his hands out in a plea. "Uh, alright . . . look, Bones . . . please, just . . . you just got to give me a little more time, that's all, please." He was desperate. She was going to leave him and take their daughter from him and he was sure they were never getting back together after that. He had gambled and lost.

She saw the fear and she knew that he thought she was going to separate from him. She had been angry with him for months and that anger was now manifesting in Booth's reaction. "No Booth, I'm not leaving you. What I want to tell you is that I have absolute faith in you . . . I trust you. I know that you love me and Christine and I'm sorry I lost sight of that . . . temporarily. You're a good man. You have your reasons and when you can, you'll share them with me."

He felt weak with relief and was sure that his legs might buckle at any moment. Pulling her into his arms, he held her tightly against his body and let the flood of emotions coursing through him give him the strength to hold her. He had been so certain that she was going to leave him and she had surprised him. "I'm sorry . . . Look, I'm sorry. We'll be fine."

She kissed him and smiled. She had come close in the last few days to making a mistake and she now knew what a big mistake it would have been. The look of fear on his face was all the proof she needed to know that someone or something was keeping Booth from marrying her. Whatever the reason was, it must be horrible for Booth to go along with it. "But the next time, it's your turn to ask me to marry you." Whatever it was that was preventing Booth from marrying her would have to be solved by Booth since he was keeping the reason to himself. Perhaps she would berate him when this ordeal was over for not trusting her, but for now she would bide her time and wait for Booth to fix the problem.

"I will." His love for Brennan had always been strong, but these last few minutes just made that love more intense. She was trusting him when she had no reason to do so. "As soon as I can, I will."

And she knew he would. She knew he wanted to marry her and he wanted it just as much as she did. "I know." She kissed him and smiled. "I made dinner for you."

"You did?" He couldn't get over how much his fortunes had changed in just the last few minutes. Booth wouldn't have been surprised if he had come home that evening and found that Brennan had packed his bags and she was kicking him out of the house, so to find her in his arms, kissing him felt surreal. Surreal and yet the greatest gift she could have given him. "Thank you." It seemed inadequate. She was going to trust him and all he could say was thank you. "I mean, thank you for giving me a chance. I can't tell you what's going on. I can't tell anyone, but I will someday soon and this will all make sense. I promise you."

"Good." She kissed him once more. They hadn't kissed in weeks and the feel of his body next to hers reminded her that their physical relationship was just as important as their emotional ties. He was her standard of male perfection. His alpha maleness was what had attracted her in the first place and his ability to get her to let her guard down and trust him in situations that most of the time she would have denied just cemented their relationship. He was her partner, her lover and her friend and she had never loved anyone like she did him. "I forgot that you never do anything unless there is a compelling reason to do it. I should have questioned that right away, but I let my emotions get the better of me. I am sorry that I doubted you."

"What changed, Bones?" This was all so confusing. He loved her so much and he was glad she had changed her mind, but he couldn't understand what was going on. "Did I do something or did someone else do something or say anything?"

She didn't know what or who was controlling Booth's actions, so she felt it was important to be careful how she responded. For months, he had been careful how he responded to anything she said to him and there had to be a reason for it, whatever it was. "I had a talk with an old friend of yours. He told me that you want to marry me . . . Since he is an old friend of yours, I trust him. I'm not sure why I do except he was honest and straight forward when I talked to him."

Now Booth was confused. Who had talked to his partner? Was it Danny? He had said that the CIA owed him. Did he talk to her, but how would he know about him turning down Bones' proposal? He hadn't talked to Danny about what was going on in his personal life and his friend didn't hang out in the same social circles he did. Sure, he was a spy, but was he that good of a spy and if it was Danny how did he know about Pelant? The only one he had told about what was going on was Aldo, but Brennan didn't know about Aldo. He had never even mentioned Aldo to her and Aldo would know how dangerous it was to seek out Brennan. It was all so confusing and it just increased his anxiousness. "Um, okay . . . I won't ask who you talked to. I'm just going to be grateful."

She understood his caution and simply nodded her head. When this was over, they would have a very long conversation.

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They left the dinner cooling in the kitchen. It had been so long since they had made love that both were desperate to reconnect in an intimate way. Their love making had begun at a frantic pace, but after they had satisfied their basic needs they had slowed down and had made love to each other in a more loving and leisurely fashion. The night had been all that they could have asked for and more.

As they lay in bed, Brennan snuggled against Booth's body, his arm holding her against his side, they let the silence in the room lull them into a restful sleep. It had been the first restful sleep that they had had since Booth had been forced to refuse Brennan's marriage proposal. The last few months had been tense and filled with restless nights. Booth had known that Brennan's anger had been so intense that she wouldn't allow him to touch her and it had been agony to sleep so close to her and yet so far. Brennan had tried to overcome her anger and resentment, but as the weeks had dragged on she had become more reserved, more distant to the man she had planned on living the rest of her life with. She had proposed to him because that was what he had always wanted and when he had rejected her it had left her feeling crushed and confused. Her greatest fear had been that he was no longer in love with her and was seeking another mate. She now knew that had been a false assumption and she was now in his corner. Whatever he was fighting was her fight too.

Now that Brennan had decided to trust her man, they had found solace in each other's embrace in each other's body and they would not let anything interfere with their relationship again. Whatever Booth was going through, Brennan would allow him to finish it and if she could help she would. She had known him for a long time and she knew that he was an honorable man. She had briefly forgot that. That would never happen again.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	79. Chapter 79

(The Maiden in the Mushrooms)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I really don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

He hadn't believed she would really do it, but it turns out she had. While Booth was waiting in the Ookey room for Hodgins to show him the results of an experiment, the entomologist had smirked as he handed over a folder to the Agent. "I saw the hickey, Man. Angela would go ballistic if I marked her like that."

"Hickey?" Booth didn't like the sound of that. "What are you talking about, Bug Boy?"

Amused that Booth was feigning ignorance, Hodgins sniggered. "Come on. We all saw the hickey on Dr. B's neck. When Angela made a joke about it, Dr. B said you did it in the throws of love making. I didn't think you were that kind of guy, Man. A hickey? Wow!"

Embarrassed, Booth grabbed the folder and shook it at Hodgins. "I didn't give Bones a hickey. I'm not in the eighth grade."

"Dr. B doesn't lie, Booth. You know that." Hodgins thought it was funny that Booth was denying what everyone had seen with their own eyes.

"Well, I don't lie either." He was furious that Brennan had told everyone that he had given her a hickey instead of admitting that Christine had bit her. He knew that Brennan was a great Mom, but there was such a thing as over protecting her child. Christine was just a toddler for God's sake. "I stopped making hickey's in high school."

Since he didn't want to call Booth a liar, Hodgins shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so, Man."

"I say so." Booth glared at the scientist and realized that Hodgins didn't believe him. _Damn it!_ "Fine believe what you want." Abruptly turning on his heels, he stormed out of the Ookey room and strode down the hallway to Brennan's office. Finding it empty, he sought out Cam to see where his partner was.

Cam was working on her notes from their last case, but stopped what she was doing to stare at her friend. "She's teaching a class over at the University this morning. One of the other anthropology professors has food poisoning and she offered to fill in."

Frustrated, Booth nodded his head. "I didn't give Bones a hickey no matter what she said."

Surprised that Booth would even bring it up, Cam turned back to her notes. Getting into an argument with Booth usually didn't end well for either of them. "Alright." She hoped he would go away, but darn her luck, he just stood there. Sighing she turned back and stared at her friend. "If it's not a hickey then what is it?"

Grimly, Booth glared at his friend, trying to will her to believe him. "Christine bit Bones. Just like she did Emma at Day Care."

Surprised, Cam turned her chair to fully face Booth. "But I thought Brennan proved that that Christine didn't bite Emma."

"She did, but Christine really did bite Emma . . . it's complicated." Booth hated to rat out his partner, but he wasn't going to take the blame for something he didn't do. "She bit Emma and then she bit Bones."

Well that was an interesting development. "Well, okay then." Cam turned back to her paperwork. "I'm a little busy. If you want to talk to Dr. Brennan you'll have to wait until this evening."

Not sure if his honor had been restored, Booth sighed. "Fine . . . I'll see you around."

Cam knew that Booth was angry, but that was Dr. Brennan's problem, not hers. "Okay, see you later."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

As the afternoon progressed, Booth decided not to confront Brennan about lying about the hickey. He knew that she would just trot out some anthropological bullshit that she had been right in doing what she did. He had been down that road before and he didn't want to travel down it again at least not this time.

Thinking it over, he came up with a better plan. Sometimes it was just better to change the game and that was what he planned to do.

That night after Christine was in bed, Booth seduced his partner with wine and a home cooked vegetarian meal that ended with a few rounds of love making. Satisfied that his plan had been put into place, Booth slept a good night's sleep, certain that he would need his rest the next day.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

After she stripped off her nightgown to get ready for her morning shower, Brennan noticed a bruise on her upper left breast and thought that was odd. She didn't remember hitting anything that would cause it. Concerned she turned and looked in the mirror over the bathroom sink and spied another bruise on the right side of her neck and one on her left shoulder.

Leaning over the sink, she placed a finger on each bruise and knew that Booth had done something that he had never done before. He had marked her while they made love. "Booth!" Turning she marched out of the bathroom and over to the bed. Staring down at her partner, she noticed he was wide awake and smiling. "You think this is funny? It was a juvenile thing to do. You aren't a teenager."

While he appreciated his naked girlfriend standing over him, Booth placed his hands behind his head and gave her a rather sly smile. "That's what I told Hodgins and Cam yesterday at the Lab. They told me that you told them that the bite on your neck was a hickey. I told them I would never do that, but they said you never lie, the implication being that I do."

Her cheeks a bright pink, Brennan knew that she had been caught. "I do hate to lie, but I wanted to protect Christine's reputation."

"Over mine?" Booth loved the way Brennan's neck and shoulders turned pink when she was embarrassed. It was a sight no one ever got to see except him. "Our daughter is a toddler. Everyone knows that toddlers go through biting stages. It's normal. A grown man giving his girlfriend a hickey is just stupid."

"Ah hah, so you admit what you did was stupid." Brennan pointed a quivering finger at Booth.

He slowly shook his head, enjoying Brennan's outrage. "Not at all. What I did was revenge. See the difference?"

She did see the difference. She had forgot that Booth was capable of retaliating when he felt it needed to be done. "Alright, you've made your point. I should have just admitted that Christine had bit me, still now I have several hickeys on my body. That wasn't very nice."

Sitting up, Booth pulled Brennan down so she was laying on top him. "Tell them I did it in the throws of making love." His lips sought out her lips and Brennan knew that Booth had won this particular battle. She would be careful the next time to be honest about the situation, if there was a next time.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	80. Chapter 80

(Season 6)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Booth had yet to stay overnight at her apartment, but she was ready for him when he did. Brennan had cleaned out the closet in the guest bedroom, so he could use it to keep clothes in it for when he stayed overnight and she made sure that two of the drawers in the dresser in that room were empty too. She didn't mind him keeping clean clothes at her place, but she didn't want to give up her closet and dresser in her bedroom.

She always had the brand of beer he liked in her fridge, but she also bought a box of his favorite breakfast cereal and some of his favorite snacks. She wanted to make sure he felt at home when he finally stayed the night with her.

Brennan also had a surprise waiting for him that she hoped he would appreciate. It was a small thing, but somehow it had significant meaning to her. She hoped he didn't think it was silly, but since Booth had an odd sense of humor he might laugh. She hoped not, but only time would tell.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

"Why don't you stay at my place tonight?" Brennan had stayed at Booth's apartment eight times in the last twelve days, but so far he hadn't stayed at her place and she was beginning to wonder why. "You can bring some of your clothes and keep them in the guest bedroom. I cleaned out the closet there and two drawers in the dresser."

Surprised, Booth placed his fork down. "Really?" He hadn't expected her to invite him to stay overnight at her apartment. He had hoped she would ask him, but after two weeks of sleeping with her at his place he had begun to think she didn't want him to stay at her place at all. "I mean okay that sounds great." He had honestly thought that she didn't want him to stay at her apartment because she was so fastidious he had thought she might not want him there. He also knew that she was a very independent person and he knew she was worried about losing that independence. He had been going along with it because their relationship was new and he didn't want to put any pressure on her. His hope was that she would eventually realize that being with him was worth a loss of a little independence.

Brennan normally had problems reading people and she knew that she had a tendency to misread social situations, but it seemed to her that her boyfriend and partner was excessively surprised. "Did you think I didn't want you to stay at my place? Why would you think that?"

Careful how he answered the question, Booth leaned back against his chair. "Well, so far you haven't mentioned me staying at your apartment and I thought maybe you . . . um, wanted to keep your independence. Also my place is cluttered, you've seen it often enough and your place is . . . um, neat." He wasn't sure what else to say without sounding insecure.

What he said sounded logical, but somehow it also sounded judgmental too. "Yes, your apartment is cluttered, but you own a lot of things and your apartment is small. Your bedroom is always neat, so I know your place is cluttered because you lack room to display your things properly." She paused and thought about how she wanted to reply to his second assumption. "Yes, I am used to living an independent lifestyle and I do like to be able to be alone when I need some quiet in my life, but we are a monogamous couple now and there are certain concessions that I know we both will have to make. I should be able to stay at your place overnight and you should be able to stay at my place. That doesn't mean we are giving up anything. It is a matter of convenience."

It wasn't very romantic, but then again, she wasn't really the romantic partner in their relationship and that didn't bother him at all. He loved her as she was and he had no intention of changing her or at least not too much. "Okay then, I'll pack a bag and bring some stuff over tonight. If you want me to, I can stop by Mama's and pick us up some dinner."

"No that won't be necessary." Brennan appreciated the offer, but if they were going to stay the night at her apartment then she wanted to cook dinner. "I'll cook tonight. It will be very domestic."

Amused, Booth smiled. "Sounds like a plan." He knew this was a big step for Brennan and he wouldn't abuse it. He would make sure to keep his things in the guest bedroom and he would try to make sure not to make a mess. His girlfriend was very orderly and he didn't want to make her regret the offer.

Ooooooooooooooooo

When he arrived, he used his key to Brennan's apartment. She had given him a key after they became a couple, but this was the first time he would actually get to use it. His girlfriend was running a little late because one of her interns had misplaced a piece of evidence and the entire Lab had been given the task of looking for it. He was pretty sure the intern was toast, but he didn't want someone that incompetent working on his cases anyway.

Carrying his bags into the guest bedroom, he placed them on the bed and checked out the closet and the dresser. Satisfied, he hung up a suit in the closet along with a jacket and placed some underwear, socks, a couple of dress shirts, two ties, a few t-shirts and jeans in the dresser.

Once that was accomplished, he carried a small plastic grocery sack into the guest bathroom and unloaded his personal items on the sink. He didn't want to assume that he was going to share Brennan's bathroom with her. Checking the cabinet next to the sink, he found towels, wash clothes and a large basket holding travel size bottles of shampoo, conditioner and soap. There was a little sign with a neatly printed message on it sitting in front of the basket. 'Help yourself'. He thought it was a good use of the toiletries that hotels gave to its customers. He always used his own personal products and usually left the hotel toiletries in the hotel room, but he thought he'd bring them home from now on and keep them for Parker or his grandfather.

Since he was done and Brennan still wasn't home, he called her. "Hey, you want me to start cooking dinner?"

 _It was my intention to cook the dinner, but we are still in search mode at the Lab. I have chicken in the refrigerator along with several vegetables in the crisper. I was going to make a black pepper chicken for you and stir fry some vegetables for both of us. If you don't know how to make black pepper chicken, I have a recipe book on top of the refrigerator. It is on page 47._

"I'll check it out. I'll prep everything and call you to see when you want me to start cooking." Booth spotted the book on the fridge and removed it. "I'll see you when you get here. I love you."

The call ended, Booth wondered when Brennan would say 'I love you' back to him.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Once Brennan was home, she took over cooking duties. It was a little late when they ate dinner, but neither really minded. They were used to eating at odd hours of the night any way.

"We found the piece of evidence." Brennan sipped some of her wine and decided the red was a very good selection. "Mr. Gilbert has been let go. I cannot risk anymore incidents especially since our reputation at the Lab is critical."

Booth swallowed his bite of food and nodded his head. "Losing evidence is crazy. You didn't have a choice. Chain of evidence is critical and if a defendant's attorney found out the chain was broken then the evidence would be tossed from a trial." He didn't have any sympathy towards the intern. His cases were not to be screwed with.

She agreed, still she felt bad to severe her intern's involvement with the Lab. The young man had cried which had been very awkward for her and Cam. She had felt bad for the intern, but the Lab's reputation was too important to throw away. "Did you move your things into the guest room?"

"Yep, sure did." Booth sipped some wine and placed the glass down. "I put my toiletries in the guest bathroom."

"You don't have to do that if you don't want to." Brennan wanted Booth to feel at home. "You may use my bathroom. It is spacious and it has two sinks."

Pleased that she was fine with sharing, Booth smiled. "Sure thing. I'll move my stuff into your . . . our bathroom after we eat."

"Good." Brennan was feeling happy about Booth staying. She thought they might end up taking turns staying at the two different apartments. It seemed the logical thing to do. "I have a new mattress. It is an ergonomic mattress which will be good for your back."

"Thanks Bones." His back did give him fits sometimes and he had an ergonomic mattress on his bed in his apartment. "They're worth the price believe me."

She agreed. She had seen her boyfriend suffer from a misaligned spine and she wanted to make sure he stayed healthy.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

He carried his toiletries into Brennan's bathroom and placed the bag down on the left-hand sink. As he began to open the cabinet above the sink, he spied something out of the corner of his eye that brought back memories. Moving over to the right-hand sink he picked up the sea shell sitting there and held it in his hands. It was golden beige with spikes on one end and a kind of curl on the other end. He was sure it had a name, but damn if he knew what kind of shell it was. What he did know was that it looked like the shell that Max had given Brennan earlier that year outside the Royal Diner. There were two holes on the top and two names had been hand printed in brown enamel paint next to each hole, Brennan and Booth.

Holding it in his hand, he thought back to that time and about how sad he had felt seeing her holding the shell next to her ear. She had been so beautiful and at the time it had made him ache for her. Unfortunately for him, he had been living with Hannah at the time and he had thought that there would never be anything more than friendship between him and his partner.

She had confessed a few weeks earlier during that time that she had made a mistake turning him down, but he had committed himself to Hannah and being the honorable man that he was or was at least trying to be, he had let Brennan know that it was too late. Over the next few weeks he had tried to be a good friend to his partner, but he knew he had failed in many ways. He was a man torn and life had given him a blow that he had found hard to recover from. He knew he kept making mistakes, but he hadn't known how to stop making them.

When she had stood on the sidewalk holding the shell he had realized that he should have never moved on, but it was too late to change his mind and he was trapped. At that point, he knew he would never have Brennan in his life like he wanted her to be and it was all his fault.

She found him in the bathroom, holding the seashell in his hand. She had thought he would be amused when he found the shell and though it represented a sad moment in her life, she had been certain that Booth would laugh about the shell. Not to be malicious, but he didn't understand how Max giving her that shell connected her to him and in a way to Booth. The sound of the sea represented science and faith at the same time. She knew the scientific reason why someone would think they heard the sea, but her father had always told her it really was the sea and she had accepted that too.

At that time, she knew that Booth had moved on with someone else and yet, she felt that someday she might still have a chance. She never voiced that sentiment to anyone, but she had felt it none the less. Logic versus faith. It had been a strange time in her life and perhaps to Booth too. "I thought it might make you laugh when you saw the seashell."

Carefully, he placed the fake shell down on the sink where he had found it and finally turned to face Brennan. "No, I wouldn't do that." He sighed and tried to let go of his sad thoughts. "You were so beautiful standing outside the diner, holding it against your ear . . . I . . . I thought you were beautiful."

She caught the catch in his voice and she knew for some reason he was sad. She didn't know why, but she didn't want to cause him pain. "I painted our names on them. I thought we could use it for our toothbrushes . . . I was just being silly. I'm sorry."

"No." Booth moved closer and placed his hands on her upper arms. "No, it's not silly at all. It was a sweet thing to do, really and I want us to use it." He wanted to say so much, but he wasn't sure she would understand. "I shouldn't have pushed you outside the Hoover, but we had known each other for five years and I thought we could . . . I loved you and I thought we could be together. I shouldn't have done that . . . I'm sorry."

She hadn't expected him to bring up the Hoover and now that he had she didn't want him to take all the blame. "I wasn't ready Booth. I may have never been ready no matter when you asked me. It wasn't until Vincent Nigel Murry was killed that I knew that I was ready. That I had almost waited too long. That bullet was meant for you not Vincent. I could have lost you that day and we would have never . . . we would have never . . . " She couldn't finish her sentence, but she didn't need to.

Booth pulled her into his arms. "I love you Bones. I made a lot of mistakes, but I'm on the right path now. You and me, fate let us meet seven years ago and it was tragedy that finally brought us together, but we are together and I never intend to let you go. I love you Temperance Brennan. I love you so much."

She leaned against her partner and felt tears fall down her cheeks. "I love you too, Booth. I have for quite a while and I won't let you go either."

Oooooooooooooooo

I hope you liked my story.


	81. Chapter 81

(The Blackout in the Blizzard)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I really don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

"Crimeo-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever. Shit!" Booth was furious. "Rescue innocent victims from a murderous pimp and this is my reward." He couldn't believe that he hadn't gotten out of the way when Brennan hit Tariq in the back with a board, but to be fair he was standing in shin deep snow and you can't just jump out of the way when you're surrounded by a lot of snow.

While he waited to see if he was infected with a fatal disease or not, the hospital had him in isolation to protect the other patients in the hospital. He wasn't sure where his partner had wandered off to, but he wished she had stayed with him. The room didn't have a television and he was bored.

Literally twiddling his thumbs, he heard the door to his room open and he looked up. Spying his partner dressed in a green smock and a face mask, Booth was a little creeped out. "Am I contagious?"

Brennan closed the door behind her and moved closer to the bed where Booth lay. "I don't know yet. I asked if I could stay with you and they insisted I take precautions." She thought he looked upset, but she wasn't sure. "I told them that I rode in the car over here with you, but that didn't seem to impress them . . . They have to do some blood tests, but they'll know for certain in an hour or so."

Glumly, Booth nodded his head and spied a bag in Brennan's left hand. Curious, he pointed at the bag. "What's that? I hope it's food, I'm hungry."

"No, it's not food." She wished she had thought to buy her partner something to eat, but her mind had been on other things. "I can go to the cafeteria and get you something."

Booth held up his hand and shook his head. "Nah, don't bother. I can wait until I get out of here." He pointed at the bag once more. "So, if you don't have anything to eat then what's in the bag?"

Amused, Brennan always found Booth to be like a child when it came to presents or what he hoped was presents. He loved the mystery of the unknown when he was given something in a bag or a wrapped box and she found that to be charming. "I have a present for you." She handed him the bag and sat down on the chair next to the bed.

"Why did you buy me a present? It's not like I'm staying or anything. I'm not even sick." Booth loved presents, but now he was worried about his partner's motives. "Am I? Sick I mean?"

"Booth I told you I don't know yet." She saw the worry on his face and now regretted giving him the present. "Hannah told me that whenever you visit someone in the hospital you are required to bring that person a present. She said it is a social obligation."

Not sure why Hannah would tell his partner something like that, Booth shook his head. "That's not really true. I mean sure, it's nice to bring a patient a present, but nothing says you have to do it. It's nice when you visit someone in the hospital and the patient is usually grateful for the company, well unless they're unconscious or a jerk, but no one expects presents."

Puzzled, Brennan pursed her lips and tried to determine what Hannah's motive had been to tell her something that Booth considered untrue. "When she was shot and I went to visit her after her surgery, I didn't have a present for her and she told me it was obligatory . . . I gave her my sunglasses."

Feeling his temper rise, Booth exhaled deeply trying to rein it in. After all, Brennan was the victim here not him. "I don't know what she was up to, but you didn't have to give her your sunglasses. She conned them out of you . . . I hope they weren't expensive."

"They were expensive." Brennan felt foolish and she didn't like the feeling. "It would appear she did con me . . . well, that's in the past and since I don't know where Hannah is I can't get my sunglasses back."

Booth was embarrassed that Hannah had pulled such a mean trick on Brennan, but there was nothing he could do about it now. "I'm sorry, Bones." He stared at the bag and slowly offered the bag back. "Maybe you should just return this. You're not obligated to buy me anything."

"No, Booth. I want you to have the present." She may not be obligated to give her partner a present, but she didn't care. He was in the hospital and she wanted to cheer him up. "I insist you keep it."

"Well, if you're sure." Booth placed the bag on his stomach and gave his partner a smile. "I wonder what's in here?"

Unable to prevent it, Brennan rolled her eyes. "If you will open the bag, you will find out."

"Don't be a spoil sport, Bones, guessing is part of the fun." Booth chuckled. "The anticipation is just as important as the gift." He loved gifts and he didn't really care what the gift was. It was the thought that counted. "Hm, it's too small to be a basketball or a hockey stick . . . It's the right size to be a baseball, but it's not heavy enough . . . Could be a hockey puck . . . nah, I don't think the hospital gift shop sells hockey pucks . . ."

"Booth, for goodness sake, you don't have to guess. You can just open the bag and look inside." Even though she knew what was in the bag, his prolonging the gift giving was starting to annoy her.

Amused, Booth smiled as he opened the bag and glanced at his partner. "Anticipation, Bones. It's the anticipation." Once the bag was opened, he looked inside and was surprised at what he found. "Hey, I've always wanted a teddy bear." It was small, a mere four inches, but it was wearing a red, white and blue scarf around its neck and there was a little red heart on its chest. "Thanks Bones."

She was surprised that he actually liked it, but she had loved it when she had seen it in the Gift Shop and she had wanted to buy it for her partner. "I've never owned a teddy bear either . . . Do you really like it? I know it's a toy, but . . . "

"You kidding me? Of course I like it." He knew it was silly and he was a grown man, but he remembered how he had wanted one as a child, but never got one. "I asked my Mom for a teddy bear for Christmas when I was a kid, but my Dad said that dolls were for sissies . . . I got a back hand across the mouth and I never asked for one again." He wasn't sure why he'd told his partner that story, but she was his friend and sometimes his memories were just too much to hold in. He knew he could count on her not to tell anyone else. "I really like the bear, Bones. I do and I appreciate it. Thank you."

His story made her flinch, but she knew that he was just being honest with her. That honesty was what she valued in her friend. "You're welcome . . . it's still snowing outside, but not as badly as earlier today . . . I hope no one takes your stadium seats. It would be a shame if someone stole them."

Booth snorted. "Ha! When I put that note on the seats I signed it FBI Special Agent Booth. No one is going to take my seats, believe me." He was confident that his neighbors would not want to screw with him. "When we get out of here, let's go pick up some food, go back to my place and get my seats into my apartment."

It sounded like a good idea to Brennan. "Of course and perhaps I can give you another massage. Falling under Tariq may have aggravated your back again."

The memory of Brennan's hands on his thighs earlier that day in the elevator made Booth feel tingly and just a little warm. "I think I'm okay. I think the first massage did the trick, but thanks." He wasn't sure letting her feel him up was the best thing he could let her do to him. It might make him react in a way that might embarrass them both. He was still shocked his boys hadn't responded earlier in the elevator. _Thank God. "_ Hey, I think I still have ice cream in the freezer. Once we eat we can make sundaes."

"Sundaes? Booth we were just in a blizzard. The city is covered in snow." Sometimes Booth's ideas were impulsive and very strange.

"So? What does that have to do with ice cream?" His partner had strange quirks, but that was okay. He did too. "You can eat ice cream anytime. It's the perfect dessert, well maybe not perfect, but damn close."

It was an old argument that neither of them ever seemed to win. "What flavor is the ice cream?"

"Butter pecan." Booth smiled. He knew she loved butter pecan ice cream. "I also have some chocolate."

"Well, in that case, your plan sounds perfect." She liked to spend evenings with her partner. They were such good friends and she valued that so much. She hoped that it turned in to more someday, but for now it was enough.

They were interrupted by a physician holding a clip board in his hand. "Mr. Booth, good news you are not contagious, but on the other hand we need you to take a prescription of Ribavirin. It's an antiviral medication. You need to make sure you take all of the pills in the prescription."

"So, I can go?" Booth slid off the bed and looked around for his shoes. "Bones, where's my shoes and coat?"

Brennan opened the closet door and pulled out the items Booth was looking for. Once Booth slipped on his shoes, he took the prescription from the doctor and placed it in his shirt pocket. "Thanks Doc." While pulling on his coat, he stuffed his teddy bear in his coat pocket and waited for Brennan to remove the green smock that covered her clothes and the mask over her mouth. Ready to go, he grabbed her hand and pulled her from the room. "Okay what do you want to eat? I want some hot dogs. I know you don't eat meat, but we can find something for you. Hot dogs with chili, cheese and onions. Got to have onions."

Appalled at his food choices, all Brennan could do was shake her head. "That sandwich shop near your apartment sells a good vegetable soup. We can stop there."

As he hurried from the hospital, Booth smiled at the sight of the snow still blanketing the city. "It's pretty Bones . . . I hope it melts fast though. No one around here can drive in snow . . . Popcorn. Maybe we can eat popcorn instead of ice cream. Oh yeah, with lots of butter."

"We have to get your prescription first." Brennan followed her partner to his SUV listening to him talk about popcorn and beer and how they went well together. She loved her partner even if she couldn't say it out loud. He was fun to be with most of the time and she admired how he was able to bounce back when he was hurt or sick most of the time. "The prescription, Booth."

"I know Bones." Booth unlocked his SUV and hopped in waiting for his partner. "Okay, let's get this show on the road. Prescription, food, beer, my seats. Lots to do, but we can do it."

She slid into the SUV and closed the door. "Yes, we can. We can do anything we want to do."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	82. Chapter 82

(The Pain in the Heart)

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

She had always considered Booth to be a prude. He hated to talk about sex whenever she brought it up insisting that she change the topic, so what else was she supposed to believe? The man was puritanical in his beliefs and she had come to accept that.

Her anger had grown during the day and she had finally come to the conclusion that she needed to confront Booth about what had happened. She wanted to know why someone she considered a friend didn't trust her enough to let her know he wasn't dead when he had gone undercover. It had been a shock to find out that Booth was alive and a bigger shock when she found out that her partner and the FBI didn't trust her with that knowledge. In fact it hurt. She wasn't the cold person everyone seemed to think she was. She had feelings like everyone else and not to be trusted by her friend and the FBI made her feel like an outsider and she wasn't was she?

When she had arrived at his apartment, it had been her intention of knocking on the door, but instead she had used a key he kept in a rock outside his door. For a policeman he was way too trusting as far as she was concerned. Anyone with a minimum of intelligence could take one look at the rock and realize that it wasn't real. Once inside the apartment she had heard music coming from the bathroom. Her anger dictating her actions, she had slid the bathroom door open and found her partner sitting in a bathtub, a strange hat on his head, a cigar in his mouth and a comic book in his hand.

The sight of her partner relaxing in hot water infuriated her more. Wanting his complete attention, she moved the needle from the record playing on a record player in the corner of the room, probably scratching it, not that she cared.

Steeping forward she had confronted him about his betrayal. "You should have told me you weren't dead."

Frustrated that she didn't get why she hadn't been told, he once more tried to explain. "I already explained this to you. The Bureau has to vet everyone when there is a security issue. I was following protocol."

That word. She was getting sick of hearing that word from her partner. "Protocol?"

"Yes." What more did she want him to say?

Brennan didn't want to hear about protocol. "We've been partners for three years and you've broken protocol before, sometimes putting my life in danger, which makes sense because you clearly don't have any real concern for me."

That was a step too far. Furious, he stood and forcefully reminded her why he had been shot by Pam Nunnen in the first place. "I took a bullet for you." He was so angry, his breathing was hard causing the tube running from his can of beer attached to his hat to practically bounce from his chest.

She didn't want that to be an excuse for anything. "Once! That only goes so far." As the seconds of silence slipped by, she couldn't help but let her eyes flick downwards momentarily. She had never seen her partner in the nude before and to say he was beautiful would be an understatement. His body was well toned and his proportions were pleasing. As the seconds ticked on with her partner standing in front of her, she felt she had to break that silence. "Would you like a towel?"

Much to his chagrin, Booth realized that he was standing naked in front of his partner and that was probably not the wisest thing he could do. He was exposed and though he knew he had a good looking body, that wasn't the point. He was a gentleman after all. As he sat down, he knew he needed to end the conversation. "Fine. What is it I should have done? What did you want me to do?"

"You could have called me." And that was what she wanted to say to him and for him to understand. She was completely trustworthy and to not be trusted made her feel like she wasn't Booth's friend at all. Was she just his partner after all? "Did you really think I needed to be vetted by your boss? Don't you trust me?"

He was unhappy that she thought that of him. Of course he trusted her. She was probably the only person in the world besides his grandfather that he truly trusted. "Of course I do." Of course he did, what the hell? Why would she ask him that? He trusted her with his life. He really needed to find out who had not contacted her about his status. The last thing he had wanted to do was upset his partner. That was why she was on his list. She would always be on his list as far as he was concerned.

Their conversation was continued in calmer tones. He promised to find out why she wasn't told and she was satisfied for the moment. At least he hoped so. As she left, she paused and decided to compliment him on his demeanor. "Just so you know, I find your lack of puritan modesty very refreshing."

It was at that point that Booth was reminded that he was naked and his partner was seeing him in all of his glory. Moving his comic book, he covered the lower part of his body from her view and wondered why he hadn't demanded that she leave the room when she had first shown up. After she left, he placed his comic book on the floor, leaned back against his tub and thought about repercussions. What were the repercussions of allowing his partner access to his bathroom, talking to her while naked and not demanding privacy? She was just his friend, his partner. What did it mean?

As she left the apartment, she was careful to lock the door behind her. She had had a very productive conversation with her partner and she knew he would find out who in the FBI didn't trust her. In the meantime, she had a few things to ruminate about. Her partner had not ordered her from his bathroom when she had barged in even though he was naked. What did that mean? He had sat there, stood in front of her then sat once more never making an effort to cover himself. That was both surprising and thought provoking. He clearly was not the prude she had thought he was.

If he really wasn't a prude, then why did he shut down their conversations if she started talking about sex? Was it because they were just friends and he didn't feel comfortable talking about his sex life with friends? Was that normal? She wasn't sure. Most of her adult life had been spent around scientists and most of them were quite frank about bodily functions and sex. Talking about sex never seemed to disturb the people she worked with. Booth on the other hand wasn't a scientist and he was very religious. Perhaps she had misjudged his responses. It might be that those in non-scientific fields were more cautious about sexual discussions. She wished she could ask Booth, but of course she couldn't. He hated to talk about sex. Not because he was a prude though and that was fascinating. Very fascinating.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	83. Chapter 83

(Season 12)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

A/N: Fanfiction has been broken for over a week. If you are interested, I updated 'Confluence' on Saturday, posted a new story last Sunday, 'Mardi Gras' and updated 'Strangers in an Airport' on Monday.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

When he was a young boy, he and his father used to go swimming a lot, but that was before he moved to England with his mother. It had been at least four years since he had seen his father without a shirt on, so he wasn't prepared for what happened next. His father was in the garage working on his Mustang and Parker was trying to help him. The teenager was interested in how to fix old cars and Booth was showing him how to work on his classic car. Since the room was so hot, his father had sent him inside the house to get them both a cold Coke. When he returned he found his father leaning over the engine shirtless. Booth had placed his damp shirt on the counter behind him and when his son returned he stepped back from the car and held his hand out to take one of the bottles of Coke.

When his father stood facing him, the boy's mouth fell open and he dropped the plastic bottles on the garage floor. "I . . . I . . ." Unable to control his emotions the teenager fled the garage, trying to escape what he had just seen.

Realizing his mistake, Booth pulled his damp t-shirt back on, picked up the drinks from the floor and went in search of his oldest child. As he entered the house, Brennan stepped out of the kitchen and confronted her husband. "Booth, what's going on. Parker ran through here and he was very upset. When I tried to stop him, he shook his head and left out of the front door."

Placing the bottles of Coke on the kitchen island, Booth patted his stomach. "I made a mistake. I took my shirt off because it was sweaty and I was hot. Parker saw my stomach and chest . . . I just didn't think."

Her hand on his wrist, Brennan shook her head. "He knows you were injured and he knows you almost died with Jared two years ago."

"Yeah, knowing is one thing, seeing is another." Disgusted, he shook his head. "He's just a boy and he wasn't prepared to see the scars on my chest and stomach."

She worried that her husband thought the scars made him ugly. "Those scars don't change who you are. You are still attractive to me, Booth. Very attractive."

"I believe you, Bones and thanks, but Parker . . . well, the scar on my stomach is pretty big and the scars on my chest are noticeable. I need to talk to him."

Releasing his wrist, Brennan nodded his head. "Would you like me to help look for him?"

"No." He appreciated her wanting to help, but he felt that he needed to talk to Parker on his own. "Let me handle it." He kissed her and walked towards the front door. "I think I'm going to buy an industrial fan for the garage. It's too damn hot in there in the summer. "

After he was gone, Brennan sat down at the island and placed her chin on the palm of her hand. Their lives were so complicated and both she and Booth had been in harm's way numerous times over the years. Booth had many scars on his body from both his military days and as an FBI agent. He even had a scar on his hip that his abusive father had caused. She knew that her husband no longer took his shirt off in public even when swimming and he never let their children see him without a shirt because he was self-conscious of how he looked. It was hard to explain to curious strangers let alone children what the scars meant and Booth was a private man who didn't want to talk about them. She just hoped that Booth could calm Parker down. The boy had just had a shock and she worried that it might change how he felt towards his father.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Parker wasn't in the front yard, so Booth walked around to the backyard to see if the boy was there. Not finding him, he walked down the driveway to the sidewalk and looked both ways. Not seeing anyone, he turned right and walked down the sidewalk hoping that Parker was ahead somewhere. Soon, as he approached the bus stop, he saw his son sitting on the bench, leaning over and his arms crossed on top of his knees.

Cautiously, Booth moved towards the bus stop and stopped five feet from where his son was sitting. "Parker."

"I knew you were hurt . . . Mom told me you almost died." Parker was feeling foolish for how he was acting. "I guess I didn't really think about what that meant . . . I saw those scars and . . . I'm sorry, Dad. I just didn't think." He sat up and stared at his father with tears in his eyes. "I'm being stupid."

He felt sorry for his son. "May I sit down?' When the boy moved over and nodded his head, Booth sat down careful to keep some space between them. "Would you like me to tell you about them. Maybe it will help, I don't know . . . or not, it's up to you."

Turning a little he faced his father. "I don't want to upset you talking about them, Dad. I'm not a kid. I know that stuff like that is traumatic. It has to be."

Booth placed his hand on the teenager's shoulder. "It was traumatic when each injury happened, but they aren't traumatic now . . . I usually keep a shirt on when I'm around anyone but Bones. She doesn't care about them, but I know I make other people uncomfortable when they see them . . . I'm sorry, I was hot and I didn't think. I should have kept my shirt on."

Not sure what to do, the boy finally shook his head. "No, you didn't do anything wrong . . . If you want to talk about them, it's okay, but you don't have to."

He wanted the boy to see that the scars were part of who he was, but they didn't control who he was, most of the time. Giving it careful thought, he decided not to mention the scar his father had given him. Somethings should just remain unsaid. "I was in the army and I received a few scars then." He wasn't prepared to talk about the torture he received as a prisoner of war. "They weren't enough to keep me out . . . When I joined the FBI I found out it can be a dangerous job too or at least the way I do it." He meant that to be a joke, but his son just sat there staring at him.

"Um, yeah . . . I was shot in the right side of my chest when someone tried to shoot Bones. I got in the way . . . it's complicated, but Bones' job is dangerous too." Booth wasn't sure how much information he should give. How much was too much? "Bones killed the shooter. She's pretty awesome and I can count on her to have my back."

"Yeah, she is." Parker wondered if his step-mother had any scars not that he would ask her.

Booth skipped over his being kidnapped and almost being blown up on a ship. His son didn't need to know about that. "You know about Glen Durant and how he was a traitor and how he set me up to be killed. Your mother told you about it and I talked to you about it . . . I was shot a few times, once in the chest and once in my abdomen . . . When I got out of prison, Bones and the squints helped me find out who was behind the attack against me and we took the bastard down along with the scum working for him."

Parker had been so proud when he had read in the newspapers about how his father and step-mother were heroes and they had destroyed Durant's plan to run the country. He had been old enough to understand what was going on and he had never been prouder of his father. "I read about Durant in The Times. Mom and I read everything we could about it and then of course we called you and Bones. We were so proud of you guys, Dad. You were a hero, you are a hero."

Proud that his boy saw him as a hero, Booth smiled. "Aubrey helped too and of course Sweets tried, but he died . . . it was a pretty rough time in my life, but I got through it." He needed to talk about his stomach scar. "I talked to you about Jared after he died. I was shot and I almost died, but I didn't. Bones found me and got me to the hospital in time . . . I was shot in the stomach and I couldn't stop the bleeding. I found some silver nitrate in the basement where I was staying and I poured some on the wound. It hurt like hell, but it stopped the bleeding . . . It's why my scar is so big. The surgeon had to remove the silver nitrate from around my wound and then he had to find the bullet . . . It made a messy scar, but it wasn't the surgeon's fault. He saved my life."

Even though he had known about most of it, it was the first time he had heard of the silver nitrate and it made Parker want to gag. He knew what that was from taking chemistry in school. His father must have been in agony when he used the silver nitrate. His mouth filled with saliva, he leaned over and spit it out on the ground. He was nauseous and he didn't want to embarrass himself by throwing up. While he tried to control his stomach, his father rubbed small circles on his back.

Once Parker seemed to be better, Booth removed his hand and placed it on his knee. "Don't think about it Parker. I don't . . . that silver nitrate saved me. If I hadn't found it and used it, I would have bled to death before Bones found me . . . You have to do what you have to do to survive sometimes . . . Are you okay?"

The teenager nodded his head. "Yeah, I just know what silver nitrate is . . . I'm okay . . . thank you for telling me and Dad, I don't think your scars make you ugly or anything. I really don't. I just wasn't prepared to see them that's all . . . I'm sorry for acting like a kid."

"No, don't apologize." Booth placed his arm around the teenager's shoulders. "It was a shock. I understand . . . Want to go back to the house and get that Coke?"

"Yeah." Parker stood up. "Maybe we can work on the car again this afternoon."

Proud that his son was handling the situation as well as he was, Booth stood up. "I think we need to go to the store and buy a big fan for the garage. It's pretty hot in there."

"That sounds great Dad." As they walked back to the house, Parker was grateful that his Dad was alive and well and walking beside him. "I don't think I want to be an FBI Agent."

Amused, Booth nodded his head. "That's fine. You have to live your own life. Just pick a job that makes you happy, that satisfies you."

"Are you happy, Dad?" Parker thought about all the pain his father had been through in his life.

"I sure am, Parker." And he was. He wouldn't have minded not being shot, but it was all part of his life and he accepted it.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	84. Chapter 84

(After 'The Hole in the Heart')

Thank you for your continued interest in my Bones stories.

I don't own Bones.

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It was so ridiculous that Booth and Temperance weren't a couple yet and Max had had enough. Someone needed to push those two love sick idiots together and he guessed it would have to be him. He just wasn't sure how he was going to do it.

On the one hand, there was his daughter. Strong, independent, self-reliant and afraid of love because he and his wife had left her behind when they ran from a murderer when she was fifteen years old. He and Christine had thought they were protecting their daughter, but they had harmed their child in ways they had not imagined.

Then there was Booth. Strong, independent, self-reliant and a romantic who apparently keeps getting his heart crushed by women he loves. Max thought he tried too hard looking for a possible soul mate. Especially when his soul mate was standing right next to him most days.

This was not going to be an easy task that was for sure, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try. Those two were made for each other. They needed each other and besides his Tempe wanted that FBI Agent and he wanted to help her get him. Of course, she had never come out and made such a declaration, but he had eyes and he knew what he knew. He wanted her to be happy and Booth made her happy.

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He asked Booth to meet him at Brennan's apartment and much to his surprise the agent came. "Booth thank you for coming. Tempe's in the kitchen." Max closed the door and followed the younger man as he moved into the living room. "I appreciate you and Tempe meeting me like this."

Booth removed his jacket, draped it across the back of a chair and turned to face Max. "Not a problem."

She had heard the front door open and close which meant Brennan's partner had arrived. Carrying three bottles of beer into the living room, she handed each man a beer and sat down on the couch. "What do you wish to talk to us about Max?"

Pleased to see that Brennan had given him a bottle of Molson, Booth held his beer up and smiled at her. "Hey Molson, thanks Bones."

"You're welcome." Brennan waited for Booth to sit down on the chair next to the couch before facing her father. "Max?"

After taking a sip of his beer, Max placed the bottle on the coffee table and faced the couple. He didn't know how this was going to go and he thought standing might give him a small advantage. "Okay, it's simple really. Tempe, you love Booth and Booth, you love Tempe. Why the hell aren't you two in a relationship? All this running to the ends of the earth, bringing back a girlfriend that isn't your type . . . you people are crazy as hell. What's so wrong with being together when you love each other? A blind man can see you two love each other and it's just driving everyone you know crazy watching this insane song and dance you two are doing to avoid the facts. What the hell is the matter with you?"

The silence in the room was almost deafening. At first Booth stared at Max trying to figure out what the older man was up to. After a few minutes had passed and no one had said anything, Booth turned to look at Brennan. "I found your ring this morning. I should have brought it with me, sorry."

"Oh, good." Brennan had realized that she had lost the ring the previous Monday and had spent the last several days searching her apartment and the Lab for it. "That's okay. You can bring it to me whenever you think about it."

Booth nodded his head. "I know it's your mother's ring, so I checked the SUV and found it under the front seat."

"Thank you for looking for it." She thought she knew how she had lost the ring and smiled at Booth. "I was going to search your truck next."

Puzzled, Max crossed his arms against his chest. "Why aren't you two yelling at me and telling me to mind my own business? Why aren't you telling me that you aren't in love? What's with you two?"

Booth turned his attention back towards Brennan's father. "Would it do any good to tell you to mind your own business?" When Max shook his head, Booth smirked. "How Bones and I handle our friendship is our business, but telling you to butt out would probably be useless. Like everyone else we know, you think you have a right to try to control Bones and me . . . Well, you don't, but arguing with you would do just as much good as arguing with a brick wall."

Glad her ring had been found, Brennan relaxed against the couch. "Booth and I are friends. We enjoy a certain camaraderie that few friends do. We have made our peace about the past and are living in the present. You and everyone we know think you know what is best for us, but that simply isn't true. Booth and I know what is best for us. We will not allow anyone to dictate how we live our lives . . . Is this why you wished to meet with us? Is there more?"

Frustrated, Max exhaled deeply. "I was hoping you two would cut out the nonsense, but I guess you won't. You'll just keep doing what you're doing and drive the rest of us insane."

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "If you minded your own business then it wouldn't matter what Bones and I do. You have your life, live it and let us live ours."

In total agreement, Brennan nodded her head. "Booth is right. Your happiness should not be contingent on how we live our lives. We're happy and if you truly cared about me then that would be all that you needed to hear. The world doesn't revolve around us. What we do and don't do is irrelevant. Now, we have heard you out and you have heard us. Is this meeting finished or is there more?"

"You two love each other." Max wanted to shake both of them.

"So?" Booth sipped some of his beer and placed the bottle on his lap. "Bones and I have loved each other for a long time. It's why our friendship is so strong. We've learned that we do better together than apart . . . We aren't perfect, not by a long shot and we've made a lot of mistakes, but the one thing we've done right is keep our friendship going. It's the best thing about us. We can rely on each other. Bones is in my corner when the going gets tough and I'm in hers. Our friendship makes us stronger, a lot stronger."

Max wanted to pull his hair out. "You admit you love each other, but just as friends?"

The red tint on Max's face was rather alarming, but Brennan had no control over her father's emotions. "Of course. We are very good friends . . . Now, I think we've said all there is to say, Max. Yes, Booth and I love each other. We are friends and we value that friendship. What more do you wish us to say?"

He ran his hand through his hair. "Nothing. What else is there to say? You two are nuts . . . just plain nuts." He had wasted his time, but it had been worth a try. "Someday you two are going to see what the rest of us see. In the meantime, you're going to play your games, well go ahead. You two are just wasting time."

"It's our time to waste." Booth winked at Brennan. "Bones and I are going out to eat. Are you done now?"

"Yeah, I'm done." Max picked up the bottle of beer, drank some of the cool liquid and placed the bottle back down. "I'm going. Have a nice time at dinner."

Amused, Booth smiled. "Oh, we will." Once Max had left the apartment, Booth moved over to the couch and sat down next to Brennan. "When you told me you'd lost your ring, I figured out you must have lost it when you helped me out of my clothes last weekend in the backseat. I looked under the front seat and there it was."

"We really shouldn't have made love in the back seat of the SUV." Brennan had thought it was fun, but Booth's back had protested afterward. "It's not good for your back. The seat really isn't that wide. I prefer a bed or my couch." She patted the couch next to her.

"Oh yeah?" Booth pulled his shirt off and kissed Brennan. "Let's give it a try and see what happens."

Eager to test out her theory about the usefulness of her couch, Brennan unbuttoned her blouse and tossed it on the coffee table. "Max really should mind his own business. We're happy and that's all that matters, isn't it?"

As Booth removed his shoes and tossed them under the coffee table, he witnessed his partner shimmy out of her slacks. "We did tell him we're in love. If he didn't want to listen to us then how is that our fault?"

Brennan moved her hands to her boyfriend's pants, unbuttoned his jeans and unzipped them. "Exactly."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	85. Chapter 85

(The Doll in the Derby)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

He entered the house, walked into the kitchen and leaned over to kiss his Bones.

"What's that?" Brennan wiped her thumb against Booth's lips and stared at lipstick now on her fingertips. "Where did you get this?"

Puzzled, Booth removed a handkerchief from his pants pocket, rubbed it against his lips and stared at the result. "Oh . . . Angela kissed me. She was talking to Emily Kickinson . . . Susan something about the rink and Nick Bennett and she decided that she needed to kiss me to prove I was her boyfriend . . . Damn she was drunk as can be. It's amazing she could still walk."

"Angela or Susan something?" Brennan wasn't sure she liked the idea of Angela kissing Booth.

"I was talking about Angela, but they were both drunk." Booth placed the handkerchief back in his pocket. "I drove Angela home. No way she could have driven home by herself."

Brennan crossed her arms against her breasts and stared at her mate. "Angela was undercover, not you." She couldn't help it, she was a little alarmed that her best friend had kissed her partner. That seemed very inappropriate. "Why was it necessary for Angela to kiss you?"

He could hear the hurt in her voice and Booth didn't like it. "Look, Bones. You'll have to ask her. I went to the bar because Angela called me. I needed to make sure she was okay, but what I found was a very drunk squint who is terrible as an undercover agent. She kissed me in front of Susan, but Susan was passed out by then. Then she wanted me to arrest Nick just because he built the rink. She thinks that makes him the murderer . . . I don't think I'll allow Angela to go undercover anymore. She stinks at it."

"She kissed you." Brennan wanted to make sure she had her facts right.

Pulling her against his body, Booth looked into her worried bright blue eyes. "I didn't kiss Angela, Bones. She kissed me." He leaned over and kissed her. "I don't need to kiss other women. You're all I need and all I want."

Mollified, Brennan returned the kiss. "I don't approve of women kissing you, but since you didn't kiss back then I will forgive you."

Relieved, Booth smiled. "Thanks . . . I'm pretty sure Angela is going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow. She really is bad at undercover work. I only want to work with you, Bones. No one else can do the job like you can." He kissed her once more and felt her respond. "I love you. You're all I need."

"I love you too."

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Angela couldn't believe how badly her head was hurting. Hodgins had tried to talk her into staying home, but she had work to do. Besides the bruises on her butt, legs and arms made sleeping painful and she would rather work than stay home and feel sorry for herself. She had known that going undercover in a roller derby might result in a few bruises, but she hadn't counted on so many on so many parts of her body and damn, her head wouldn't stop throbbing.

Standing in her office, sipping hot coffee, Angela was trying to call up some information on Nick Bennett when she heard footsteps in her office. Turning, she winced and placed her hand on her forehead. "Oh Honey . . . talk quietly please. I have the worst headache. I haven't felt this bad since I was 22 years old and I was dating Rocko Fairburn. He was a crazy artist that lived in Soho and we . . . oh never mind. My God my head hurts . . . I should have known better than to try to drink someone under the table. I did, but that's beside the point . . ."

Angela!" Brennan wasn't interested in Angela's headache and someone named Rocko. "Did you kiss Booth last night?"

"No of course not." Angela shook her head and regretted it. "Why would I do that?"

A little alarmed with the answer, Brennan stepped closer towards her friend. "He said you did while you were talking to Susan something."

"Susan Carroll not Susan something and now that I think about it, I do vaguely remember kissing Booth." Angela sighed. "I was trying to keep in character and Booth was supposed to be my boyfriend . . . if my memory isn't too faulty, I kissed him to assure Susan that I wasn't a policeman or a narc or something because I knew she knew Booth works for the FBI. I don't think I really care for undercover work. I have bruises on my bruises."

"Why was kissing Booth necessary?" Brennan loved Angela like a sister, but she was not willing to share Booth. "I don't see how kissing him helped sell your story to Susan."

As hungover as Angela was, she could see that her best friend was upset about the kiss. "Honey, I was so drunk last night, it was a miracle I didn't try to strip studly naked in front of Susan . . . When I say I was drunk I mean dangerously drunk. I even tried to kiss Booth again, but your boyfriend wouldn't have any part of it . . . He's a good guy, Brennan. He didn't take advantage of me even though I was trying to take advantage of him. You have no idea how horny I get when I'm drunk. As soon as I got home, I practically attacked Hodgins . . . the headache isn't worth it though."

Not sure how she should take that confession, Brennan shook her head and left the room. Angela knew she needed to talk to her friend to clear the air, but she would talk to her later. At the moment, she needed more coffee and aspirin.

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"Bren, may I talk to you?" Angela stood in the doorway of the examination room and watched Brennan place a large bone down on the table before turning to face her.

"Yes, you may." Brennan had thought about Angela's inappropriate behavior all afternoon and she had come to the conclusion that she was feeling something that she didn't quite understand. "Why am I upset that you kissed Booth? I know that he is faithful to me and I know you are my best friend and would not do anything to hurt me? Why do I feel betrayed when there was no betrayal?"

Glad she had chosen to talk to her friend, Angela stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. "It's normal, Honey. What you're feeling is jealousy and perhaps some anxiety and it's okay to feel those things. You love Booth and you don't want other women kissing him. It makes you feel that the other woman is stepping over boundaries and is being disrespectful to you and yes to Booth."

Brennan had a hard time understanding what she felt sometimes. She understood, anger, love, hate even rage, but the other emotions so many other people felt comfortable with left her floundering. It had always been that way. Sometimes she was so confused she asked those she trusted about why she was feeling a particular way. She used to think that there was something wrong with her, but Booth had reassured her over the years that there was nothing wrong with her. Sometimes she felt Booth was wrong. "You are my friend and I don't like being angry with you . . . I know you were drunk and Booth felt you were not in control of your actions . . . but I still felt like you crossed a line . . . Do you understand? I'm not sure I am explaining everything like I should."

"No Honey, you're telling me what you feel." Angela stepped closer to her friend, but kept a respectful distant between them, at least for now. "I was drunk and when I'm drunk I cross a lot of boundaries. I'm a free spirit you know that and lowering my inhibitions just makes me even more open to things than when I'm sober . . . I would never have an affair with Booth and he would never have one with me. I'm pretty sure he'd never have an affair with anyone. He loves you so much and you know that . . . it's okay to be a little pissed at me, it really is, but I'm here to say I'm sorry and I want to make sure you forgive me . . . do you?"

Brennan stepped closer and placed her arms around her friend. "I forgive you Angela. You were under a lot of pressure when you went undercover and you weren't prepared properly. As a rule, Booth and I don't drink alcohol when we're undercover. It is important that we remain in full control of our actions. You didn't know that and that left you vulnerable . . . Kissing Booth seemed imperative at the time, I understand that . . . Don't do it again."

Glad that Brennan was being logical about their problem, Angela laughed. "No, I won't. I promise. I also promise to never go undercover again. I'm not meant to be a spy. It's too nerve wracking." Angela hugged her friend and released her.

"Good." Brennan was glad that Angela understood that Booth belonged to her. "Now, I have work to do and you should probably go home. I sense that you still don't feel well."

Angela stepped back and nodded her head. "You're right, but I feel better than I did a few minutes ago. I'm going home and soak in a very hot bath. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, you will." Once she was alone, Brennan resumed her examination of the skeleton on the table. "Bones are so much easier to deal with. There are no lies or subterfuge when I examine bones. I don't have to interpret the emotional side of life. There is only logic and truth."

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	86. Chapter 86

(The Mystery in the Meat)

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Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Carrying the folded laundry from the laundry room into the kitchen, Brennan was surprised to see several cans of food sitting on the counter tops below the cabinets. Booth was holding one can in his hand and he appeared to be reading the label. "Is there a problem?"

"No, no problem." Booth continued to stare at the label for a few more seconds. With a look of disgust on his face, he dropped the can in a box located on the floor near his feet and proceeded to pick up another can from the counter.

Curious and just a little fascinated, she placed the basket of clean clothes on the kitchen island and moved closer towards Booth so she could look inside the box. Puzzled, she leaned over, picked up a can and read the label. As far as she could tell, the ingredients contained the normal amounts of chemicals, preservatives, plant and animal based products that most canned food companies used making their food items. "Why are these cans in this box? What are you going to do with them?"

The can he held didn't pass inspection either causing Booth to place it in the box with the other rejects. "I'm looking at the ingredients listed on the cans. I'm checking for meat or meat by-products. If I find any, out it goes. Some of the cans are obvious like SpaghettiOs, but I'm just making sure. I don't want Christine eating this junk anymore and I don't want to eat it either."

A little shocked, Brennan shook her head in disbelief. "But you like to eat Deviled Ham on crackers and although I don't approve, Christine likes SpaghettiOs. You've told me quite often that products like SpaghettiOs didn't give you any adverse health effects when you were a child, so you don't want to deprive our daughter of the joy of eating them."

"Well, I was wrong, okay? We're not eating that crap anymore." Booth shuddered, wiped his hand across his mouth and picked up another can. "From now on, we're cooking our food to make sure that the meat is . . . meat. Me and Christine are not eating anything from a can that contains meat anymore . . . We're not becoming vegetarians, okay? I'm just making sure my little girl is eating the real deal from now on."

Enlightened, Brennan smiled. "Booth, I'm certain that most food manufacturers don't use human body parts in their recipes. The murder of Howard Compton was committed at Tryon Foods and the body was cut up and cooked with stew to get rid of it. All other canned food stuffs should be edible, although most contain too much salt and preservatives and they can eventually lead to high blood pressure and other health issues."

A little surprised, Booth turned to stare at his wife. "Are you trying to talk me into eating canned meat? You're always claiming that my diet is awful. Well, I agree with you and I'm going to make some changes in my diet and our little girl's diet . . . I think we should make her lunches for school. I don't think it's a good idea for her to eat cafeteria food. Companies consider schools second tier and they don't care about quality just quantity. My little girl is not a Guinea pig for big companies. They don't care about our kid so we have to."

Amused, Brennan placed the can back in the box and walked over to where her laundry was waiting for her. "Well, I for one am glad to see that you are serious about making real changes in your diet. Perhaps you should consider forgoing potato chips and dip and double stuffed Oreo cookies should be avoided too."

A little horrified, Booth stared at his wife while she picked up the laundry basket. "Let's not get carried away, okay? Potato chips are made from potatoes and cookies are made from wheat and corn products. I'm not giving up the good stuff, just processed meat. By the way, no one should be eating meat by-products. What the hell is that anyway?" He quickly held up his hand. "Wait, that was a rhetorical question. I don't want to know what that is."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "I'll take whatever changes you are willing to make." Leaving the room, she reminded him of a can he had forgot to place on the counter. "The canned chili is in the top right hand cabinet near the refrigerator."

Groaning, Booth glanced at the cabinet door and started cursing under his breath. It was so unfair that he couldn't trust canned food anymore especially since he loved chili. _Fuck!_

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A short story, but I hope you liked it.


	87. Chapter 87

(Season 11)

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Brennan remembered a television show she had watched with Booth titled, 'Silent Witness'. The show had followed some forensic pathologists doing their job trying to help with murder investigations, but Booth had decided that he had enough of that in his life without using it as entertainment. Brennan had agreed and they never watched it again.

Now she was standing before an examination table, charred bones lying on the table waiting for her to examine them and for some reason the words silent witness popped into her mind. It seemed appropriate. She was a silent witness for the victim lying before her. She needed to prove who this was. Everyone kept telling her that it was Booth, but she knew that it couldn't be her husband. She knew it and she would prove it.

Alone in the examination room, the door closed and locked, she carefully studied the bones and noted each bit of damage as she found them. The victim had remodeled fractures of his calcanei. Booth had the same remodeled fractures, but so did anyone else that had jumped from planes using a parachute. The scapulae and ribs five through eight showed fractures that had been remodeled. They were old enough that anyone could see that they had been sustained in the victim's youth. These were clear signs of child abuse written on the bones for her to see. She checked the victim's cranium, the skull was badly degraded from the fire, so she couldn't check for signs of brain surgery. Her fingers lingered on the skull and noted the spacing between the eyes then placed it back on the table.

Silently, she placed her gloved hands on the table and stared at the charred bones, wondering if this man was really Booth after all. If fate was real, then it was being cruel. Booth was no longer a field agent and yet it was possible that this pile of bones was all that was left of her husband.

Stubbornly, she continued her examination. Booth had been in a firefight with assassins in the Mighty Hut almost 18 months prior to that moment and this body was riddled with bullet wounds. The fire had fractured the bones making it almost too difficult to tell what was a bullet wound and what wasn't, but she was the best in her field. She had a lot of experience identifying the victims of war and that helped her now.

As her fingers moved silently over the bones, she focused her attention on the left scapula. During the firefight, a small portion of his left scapula had been hit by a bullet and as the bullet had left Booth's body that bit of scapula had left with it. This body had an intact left scapula. She had proved that this was not Booth. Since the body had many of the same markers that Booth did, she now knew that the victim was Jared Booth not Seeley Booth.

Filled with relief, Brennan sank to the floor and let herself cry. She had been so afraid that the victim was indeed Booth, but she had to make sure for herself. Every indication pointed towards it being her husband, but she had faith that Booth was not dead. Many times, he had been hurt, many times he had been hurt so badly that he should have perished, but he hadn't and she knew he hadn't this time either.

Letting her tears fall unchecked, she allowed herself a few minutes to relieve the tension that had been building up inside her. She knew that she needed to let everyone know that Booth was alive and that they needed to search for him, but she needed to recover from the awful fear that had been washing through her since Arastoo had announced that the victim was Booth.

Dashing her hands across her face, Brennan stood up, leaned over the bones of her brother-in-law and spoke quietly. "I don't know what you did to get yourself killed Jared, but Booth is out there hurt possibly dying and this is no doubt your fault. Why couldn't you leave him alone? Why did you have to keep using him? Why couldn't you seek help and set your life right?"

She felt foolish asking bones questions that couldn't be answered, but they were questions she had had to ask. The bones would not give her the answers, but it didn't really matter. She had to find Booth and she had to find him quickly. "I'm sorry you're dead, Jared, but I am glad it is you and not Booth."

Removing her gloves from her hand, she tossed them in a bio-hazard bin, unlocked the door and raced down the hallway. Booth was alive. He was alive and they needed to find him. That was all she had on her mind. She would worry about Jared later.

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He lay in the hospital bed, unconscious. The surgery had been a long and torturous process. The silver nitrate Booth had used to stop the bleeding had to be removed from his body. The bullet in his abdomen had to be located and removed and he had required numerous transfusions. The surgery had been successful and for that Brennan was thankful.

As she waited for her husband to awake, she studied his face and wondered how a man who had been through so much pain in his life could continue to thrive, but thrive he did. He was a family man and he loved his wife and children very much. He lived for their happiness and Brennan found that amazing. Booth had grown up in a house filled with hate, his bones proof of the abuse he had sustained from his father.

What amazed her the most was the fact that there were two sons in that household and they had walked away from that house with different life lessons. Booth had grown up to be a protector. He saw himself as a Paladin. Deputy Director Cullen had called him that during one of their early cases together. A protector of the weak and a warrior whose aim was to bring justice to the unjust and to vanquish evil. She had found the title rather ludicrous when she had first heard it, but over the years Booth had proved to be that Paladin, her paladin.

Jared had grown up to be a user. He was shameless in how he used people and when it came to his brother, he assumed he had to but ask for a favor and his brother would grant it. Jared was an alcoholic who never learned to control that illness. It left him weak and floundering through his life and in the end that weakness had killed him. It had almost killed Booth too.

Booth had weaknesses too, but he worked hard to keep them under control. He had failed for a short while the previous year, but he had overcome his gambling addiction enough to return to his family. Her husband had not given up like her brother-in-law. He fought every day to have the life he had. If only Jared had tried as well.

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Her silent vigil lasted until she heard a soft moan come from her husband. She witnessed him move his hand to his mouth and then lower his hand. "Bones." His eyes were closed, but he was awake.

"I'm here, Booth." She was so glad to see him awake. Her biggest fear had been that he would never wake again and she would have to live her life without him.

His voice was hoarse, like a rusty hinge that protested when a door opened. "Thirsty."

She helped him by giving him some ice chips. While he rolled those around in his mouth, she moved her hand through his hair staring at his still closed eyes. "Can you open your eyes, Booth?" She wasn't sure why that was important, but it was to her.

With a lot of effort, he opened them and stared at his wife. "Bones." He wanted to smile, but he couldn't muster the strength, maybe later.

His dark eyes staring at her, Brennan smiled, leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Booth." She had never loved anyone like she loved her husband.

He had so much to say, but he was so tired. "Love." He hoped it was enough. His eyes closed and he was soon asleep.

The silence of the room was interrupted periodically by the pressure cuff on Booth's arm activating and the faint beeps from the machine monitoring his vital signs. She held his hand and watched him breathe. Perhaps, it might seem an odd thing to do to anyone that happened to witness it, but not to her. His quiet breathing was proof that she had not lost him and that was all the assurance she needed that he would be alright. Booth was a fighter and he would fight to be with her. He always did.

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	88. Chapter 88

(The Double Death of the Dearly Departed)

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"You know Bones, I'm never going to a funeral with you again." Booth was tired, he had a headache and he wanted to go home. He had just dropped Cam off at her apartment and they were on the way to Brennan's place. "I mean I go to a funeral for a colleague and the next thing I know we're investigating his murder."

"His translation." Brennan wanted to remind her partner that they were calling Hank Reilly's murder a translation.

Annoyed, Booth tried to control his irritation. "Yeah, translation . . . I mean we had to spend all day investigating a murder . . . translation that the coroner said was a fatal heart attack because the guy was going to be cremated and you insisted that someone killed him. You just couldn't leave it alone and now I have to get up early tomorrow morning and go to a grave site service and serve everyone poisoned tea."

"Pretend poisoned tea. We aren't really going to serve anyone poisoned tea." Brennan worried that Booth might really serve the wrong tea. "We just want the poisoner to think it's poisoned, so that he or she will refuse to drink it and therefore betray themselves as the murderer."

He couldn't help it, Booth rolled his eyes. "You can make the pretend tea, Bones. I wouldn't want to make a mistake." He meant is as sarcasm, but his friend and partner was incapable of recognizing sarcasm and he knew it.

"That's a good idea." Brennan had two thermoses in her kitchen, so she could make enough tea to go around and insure it was safe to do so. "You can bring the paper cups." She thought about his statement earlier and turned to face him. "Are you really never going to go to a funeral with me again? What if your grandfather died or Jared? Wouldn't you want me to be there at the funeral? I am your partner. Also, what if Max died? Wouldn't you want to go to his funeral? Just because I discovered that Hank Reilly was murdered doesn't mean that I would discover that someone else at a funeral had been killed. The odds are astronomical that that would happen."

He wished he'd kept his mouth shut. "No, Bones, I didn't really mean that. I'm just tired and I have a headache. If one of your loved ones dies, I'll go to their funeral and if one of my mine dies you need to come to the funeral, but you can't examine the bodies to see if they've been murdered . . . translated. You just don't do that at funerals. You'll get a reputation and no one will let you go to funerals anymore." Again, he was being sarcastic and again he knew it was useless.

"You have a good point." Brennan appreciated the advice. "I don't really see the point of going to funerals unless it is for a family member or someone you know, but yes, I can see where examining a body in a casket could be misconstrued and I don't wish to become a social pariah . . . But if I hadn't discovered that Hank Reilly had been translated then someone would have got away with translating him and that would have been terrible Booth. Wouldn't it have been terrible."

"Yeah, it would have been bad." He was not going to win this conversation and he knew it. "Still, the next time we go to a funeral, if something looks suspicious, just tell me, don't . . . don't touch the body. We'll think about what we can do then, but please no more translations at funerals. Just . . . just go, pay your respects and we'll leave."

Brennan thought about it for moment. "Yes, but if I do notice that someone has been translated we really can't ignore it especially if the body is going to be cremated, then we'll have to do something about it right away."

Reluctantly, Booth knew that his partner was going to do her thing regardless of what was proper behavior at funerals. He'd just have to avoid going to funerals with her, that was all there was to it. No more funerals with his partner unless the victim had been murdered then it wouldn't matter. "Yeah, we will."

There was silence between them for a few minutes then Brennan cleared her throat. "You said that the lawyer was nice." The lawyer had been beautiful, not as beautiful as her, but still she wondered if her partner was interested in Erin Miller?

"Uh, yeah, she is." Booth had considered asking Erin out, but not until they found out if she was the murderer or not. He'd have to keep his distance until then. Can't date murder suspects no matter how nice they seemed. "She seemed to like me."

That didn't seem to be good. "I like you too." Should she worry that Booth was interested in Erin Miller? "She is a murder suspect though."

"Yeah." Booth signed. "That's all I ever meet. Murder suspects or murder victims. It's tough to date someone when I all I meet is murder suspects or victims."

"Are you looking for someone to date?" Brennan knew that Booth was a healthy male and it would be strange if he didn't want to date someone. Of course, she had always thought of him as being a loner, but that was just a stereotype. The man did have a son and she knew that he had lived with Rebecca for a while and with Cam in college plus he had dated Cam recently, so not really a loner. "Of course, you are. Never mind."

His head was really bothering him and the last thing he wanted to do was talk about his sex life with his partner. "Do you have enough tea at home to make your pretend poisoned tea?" _Please change topics._

"Yes, of course." Brennan loved tea. "I have several brands of tea in my kitchen cabinet. Of course, I don't have Hank's particular brand of tea, but I don't see why that would matter. Only Hank and the murderer knew what he had drank that morning and Hank is dead so he can't contradict us."

"Good point." He spotted Brennan's apartment building and looked for a parking space. Finding one a half a block away, he pulled in and turned off the ignition. "I'll come by around seven tomorrow and help you load the tea in the back seat . . . want me to walk you up to your apartment?"

Opening the door, Brennan shook her head. "That won't be necessary. You have a headache. Go home and take a hot bath. It might help. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Booth kept his eyes on Brennan until she entered the lobby of her apartment building. Comparing her to Erin Miller, Booth decided that Brennan was still his standard and everyone else paled in comparison. Shaking his head, he started his truck. Not only did all the women he meet were either co-workers or murder suspects, they also competed with Brennan for his attention and that was bad for him. Very bad.

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	89. Chapter 89

(After 'The Murder in the Meninist')

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"Paul Walters is dropping his lawsuit." Brennan entered the living room and handed Booth a glass of wine. Once she was settled on the couch next to her husband, she sipped her Bordeaux and leaned back. "I must say his reasoning was rather depraved, but I expected nothing less from someone like Paul Walters. His lawyer tried to file a motion with the judge, but it was dismissed. Obviously, Walters' lawyer is of the same ilk. His morals are no better than Mr. Walters' is."

Booth was still a little shocked that Brennan had hit the meninist in the interview room. He was on the verge of striking the man when Brennan had hit Walters instead. He had thought she had lost control because she was angry, but she claimed she hadn't been angry when she hit the creep. She had punched Walters to protect her partner from losing his job with the FBI. "Paul Walters is disgusting . . . what reason did the lawyer give?" He sipped some of the wine and found it to be delicious. _Must be something Bones' publisher gave her._

"My lawyer says that Paul Walters wanted a jury of his peers and that meant no women should be seated. His client feels that women are too emotional and they wouldn't listen to his complaint with an open mind."

Stunned, Booth placed his wine glass on the coffee table. "Are you kidding me? What judge was assigned to the case?"

Brennan had become upset when she had heard Walters' reasons, but it had verified just how obnoxious Walters' view of the world was. "Judge Jeremiah Hogue. Apparently, the judge had taken it as a joke at first. When Walters' lawyer insisted it wasn't a joke, the Judge reminded him of Taylor versus Louisiana. That case held that women could not be excluded from a jury pool on the basis of having to register for jury duty. The Supreme Court ruled that if women are systematically eliminated from jury panels, the Sixth Amendment's fair cross section requirement cannot be satisfied."

"Good for Judge Hogue." Booth really hated men like Paul Walters. They wanted a legal way to abuse women and Booth found that appalling. He'd lived in a abusive household and it still gave him nightmares. "How about the Civil law suit?" He knew that Brennan was rich and could afford to defend herself, but the Civil law suit worried him since it could affect her reputation as well as her pocketbook.

After sipping more of the wine, Brennan placed the wine glass down on the coffee table next to Booth's glass. "The Civil lawsuit stated that I assaulted Walters while I was working for the FBI therefore the FBI was liable . . . I don't work for the FBI, I work for the Jeffersonian and I only consult for the FBI. That case has been thrown out too. Of course, he said he plans to refile, but my lawyer brought up the fact that the altercation in the interview room had been recorded and if they go to trial, he may not get any sympathy from the court. Women cannot be eliminated from that jury either. I think Mr. Walters will drop this case too. It would be interesting to see how a jury reacts while they watch Mr. Walters threaten his wife and insult me in front of FBI agents. He was very aggressive towards everyone in the room, especially his wife. Perhaps I should counter sue."

He thought that was a terrible idea. "I think you should let it go. The guy knows he won't have a prayer once that video gets out. He was just trying to get revenge and some money from you. You did fracture the guys jaw."

She had felt a twinge of remorse when she had found out she had actually damaged Paul Walters mental foramen. "I didn't mean to cause him physical damage. I have already paid his hospital bill, but I have done so anonymously. If he were to find out that I paid the bill, he might claim that I am admitting that I did something wrong which I deny."

"Wow, I'm impressed Bones." And he was. "That guy is just awful and he probably abuses his wife, but I'm glad you paid for his hospital bill anyway. You did the right thing. Good for you. If he had to cough up the cash he might blame Karen."

Pleased with her husband's reaction, Brennan leaned against Booth. "I did what I did to protect you. You were getting quite incensed when Walters confronted me and his wife in the interview room and I was afraid you were going to strike him. If you had you could have lost your job. I couldn't allow that to happen."

He hated to admit it, but she was right. "Yeah, well, he was pissing me off and when he started to threaten his wife . . . all I could hear was my Dad's voice in my head, screaming at Mom just before he'd hurt her . . . if he had hit Karen Walters or you I would have lost it . . . thanks for stepping in, but you shouldn't have hit the guy. The higher ups could have stopped you from consulting with the FBI if they had wanted to be hard nosed about it . . . As it is, you can't hit anyone else."

"Then you must promise to keep tighter control of your temper." Brennan stared solemnly at her husband and partner. "You have a tendency to react very negatively when being confronted with abuse cases or attempted abuse by someone. While I find that admirable in a partner and in my husband, the FBI would have a different take on the situation and you know it. Make your case and let the law handle people like Paul Walters . . . I talked to Karen Walters . . . She's going to leave her husband. She said he used to be kind and loving towards her, but now he's filled with hate and he takes that hate out on her."

"Well, Walters is going to get what he wants someday. He won't have to deal with women because they won't have anything to do with him." Booth leaned closer to Brennan and placed his arm around her shoulders. "Now that it's over, I can admit I thought that was pretty damn hot when you hit Walters and managed to break his jaw."

"Really?" Brennan wasn't surprised about her husband's confession. "He's lucky you came between him and I. I intended to swing at his nose next."

"Um, wow." One of the things Booth loved about Brennan was her ability to take care of herself and her protective nature. "Well, I think we . . ."

"Mommy!" Christine's loud shout could be heard quite clearly. "Mommy, there's a spider on the wall. It's a really big spider."

"Do you want me to handle it?" Booth removed his arm from around Brennan's shoulders.

Brennan stood up. "No, I'll take care it. I'll just capture it and put it outside."

As Brennan walked away, Booth smiled. "It's a good thing Aubrey isn't babysitting tonight. The spider would probably capture Aubrey and put him outside."

Amused, Brennan laughed. "Poor Aubrey."

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	90. Chapter 90

(Pre-Season 6)

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Ooooooooooooooooo

" _Dear Temperance, I was going to say Bones, but it seems weird to say Dear Bones. Anyway, I hope you're doing okay in Maluku. You told me this dig you're on might be a game changer in the Anthropology world and I hope it is. I want you to find whatever it is you're looking for and its historical and the world knows about it. Anyway, I know you're famous already, but it would be cool if you became as famous as Dian Fossey. Yeah, I know who she is. She studied gorillas. I also know she's not a forensic anthropologist, but she's pretty famous in your science world. I bought a book for Parker about mountain gorillas and Dian Fossey and Parker and I thought it was pretty cool._

 _I'm at Camp Black Horse in Kabul. It's about how I expected it to be. It's in the 80's here right now, so warmer than back home, but not too bad. I'm not really allowed to talk about my job, but it's going to be as boring as I told you it'd be, so don't worry about me. I'm fine and I'll be fine until it's time to go home._

 _I know the Gravedigger trial was rough on you and it made you question working with me. I'm hoping you'll think about our partnership and the good we do together and consider coming back to work with me when you're done in Maluku. We made a great team and I think we should get back together._

 _Anyway, I have to go. Write soon._

 _Your friend. Seeley Booth._

She read his letter twice before placing it back in the envelope. It was short and awkward and she wasn't sure why. Brennan knew that Booth could be articulate when he wanted to be, after all he did have a Bachelor's degree in Criminology. It had taken her a long time to understand that the public Booth didn't really represent the private Booth. Angela had told her once that Booth was a genius at playing stupid. It had taken her years to understand what she had meant.

Her first weeks at the dig had been strenuous. There is a lot of labor involved in setting up a dig and ensuring supply lines flowed smoothly, so that everyone could do their job properly and Brennan had worked long hours to accomplish her goals.

When Booth's letter had arrived, she'd had mixed feelings. She was grateful he had taken the time to write her, but she dreaded what the letter might contain.

Brennan debated whether or not to write Booth and in the end, she didn't. She didn't have much to report and she was still thinking about her partnership. Deciding what to do with her life was not something she would accomplish in a few days or weeks. She loved Booth as a dear friend, but the Gravedigger trial had emphasized just how easily she could lose him and she wasn't prepared to live with that loss. She had never meant to let Booth get close to her emotionally, but it had happened anyway. When the Gravedigger had kidnapped Booth, she had feared she would never see him again and the trial had brought those fears back to the forefront of her thoughts. The nightmares they had triggered had been horrifying and they had felt all too real. She wanted to step away from Booth and regain her independence. She neither wanted or needed love.

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 _Dear Bones. I know you must be pretty busy and that is why you didn't write me and that's okay. I understand your dig is very important and I know you well enough to know that when you start working on something you don't get enough rest and you don't eat properly. I hope someone is making sure you're sleeping enough. If they aren't then shame on them. You're a valuable asset to your team and they should treat you that way. Try to rest Bones. Try to give yourself some downtime and if you do have a few minutes to spare, then write me. I'd love to hear from you._

 _It's boring where I am. Just paperwork and stuff. I'm not even sure why I'm here since I don't really have much to do. I've been training some young men how to track and they're fast learners, so at least someone is getting the benefit of my expertise. Still, it's a safe job, so don't worry about me. I'm fine and I hope you are too._

 _Your partner and friend. Booth._

She had opened the letter with shaking hands and she hadn't been sure why. Booth had been on her mind for days and she worried that he might be doing something dangerous and imperiling his life. The letter had assured her that he was fine and that was a relief, but something about how he described his job seemed to be off and she wasn't sure why. His letters were so brief and that worried her too. They used to spend hours talking about many topics and Booth's letters didn't reflect that companionable friendship they used to have.

Would she write him back? She didn't think she could. Like Booth, she didn't seem to have anything important to say. She was still thinking about their partnership and their friendship. She loved him as a friend, but she knew he wanted more. Did she have more to give? Did she dare risk her happiness for him? She didn't know the answer to that question, at least not yet.

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 _Hi Bones, I have a few minutes and I thought I'd write you a quick letter letting you know I'm doing okay. I hope you're doing okay too. I haven't heard from you, so I guess you're still very busy. Don't forget to rest when you can. You don't have to make your big breakthrough in one day._

 _I've been given a group of guys that are eager to learn tracking and stuff like that. They're a great bunch of guys. They treat me like I'm an old man and maybe I am since I'm forty and they're about eighteen or so. Anyway, they're willing to learn and that's what I'm counting on._

 _I heard from Cam and she's doing pretty good, all things considered. She wasn't happy with what went down, but I guess we should have known that was a possibility. Anyway, she says Michelle is doing well in school and making top marks. I'm really proud of her and I think she's going to do well in whatever field she chooses to go into._

 _Parker and Pops are doing well. They told me to tell you that they're thinking about you and they hope you're happy. Are you happy?_

 _If you can, write me. I miss you. Booth_

There was a dark drop of something on the edge of the letter near the bottom of the page. It was dried of course, but it looked suspiciously like blood. Perhaps he had cut his finger on the paper. She hoped that was it and that he wasn't hiding anything from her. She knew her partner and she wouldn't put it past him to hide the fact that he had been hurt. He was in a war zone and the possibility was all too real.

A tear fell down her cheek and onto the letter, landing next to the dark spot. "Booth, you promised not to be you. Don't do anything dangerous. Just don't."

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 _Bones, it's been four months since we left the District and I haven't heard from you. I get it, you're busy, but how much time does it take to write a couple of lines on a piece of paper, put it in an envelope and address the damn thing? Are we done? Is our friendship over? You know I'd wait forever for you if you told me that you needed time, but your silence tells me that you don't need time, that you've made up your mind about our partnership._

 _Can you tell me if we're still partners? Just one line on a piece of paper, Bones. Are we still friends?_

 _Hopefully still your partner, Booth._

His letter filled her with anxiety. She didn't know what to say, what to write. She was still afraid that continuing her partnership with Booth was going to end up tragically someday and that she would lose the best friend she had ever had. His loss would be devastating and she wasn't sure she could survive it. Did she want to continue to work with him? She still didn't know. She thought about it every night while she lay in bed and whenever she had a free moment during the day.

Never in her life had she ever had this much difficulty deciding about anything. She loved Booth, but could she bear to watch him die? It was a real possibility and his death would be the one thing in this world that would destroy her. Not the death of her father or her brother. She would mourn them of course, but not like she would mourn Booth's death. Could she continue to risk her happiness? She just didn't know.

Oooooooooooooooooo

 _Bones, this is my last letter. You haven't written to me in the five months I've been here and I guess you don't want to. I just want to say that I really enjoyed working with you and I loved our friendship. I've never had a friend like you and I probably never will again._

 _I hope that you find happiness someday. I was hoping that it would be with me, but we both know that won't happen. I'm not what you need and I accept that. You deserve happiness and I will pray that you find it._

 _I will remember the good times we had as well as the bad. The good times outweighed the bad and like most friendships we had our ups and downs, but I want you to know that knowing you has made me a better man._

 _Thank you. Booth_

 _P.S. I still plan on meeting you by the reflecting pool when we get back. If you don't come then I will know that our friendship is over. Until that happens, I still have hope that I am still your friend if not your partner._

She held the letter against her breasts and wept. She had been in turmoil for quite a while. She loved Booth so much and the unhappiness she felt not being with him made her realize that giving up their friendship was not an option. She had been fooling herself all along. She had feared Booth dying and leaving her, but if she gave up their friendship, then that would be leaving Booth and in the end it would be the same thing. She would not be happy without Booth in her life and she accepted that.

She wished she could write to him and explain what she was feeling, but she didn't know how to put her words into a letter. It was galling that she was a best selling author and made millions of dollars writing novels and yet she couldn't write a simple letter explaining how she felt to the man she loved.

When it was time to go home, she would meet Booth by the reflecting pool and she would tell him the things she couldn't write in a letter. She would tell him that she loved him and that she valued their friendship. Most importantly, she thought they could take a chance. She would give him the chance he had asked for outside the Hoover. Of course, she hoped she was strong enough to say the words when they met and she hoped they were both strong enough to make it work if they tried. Only time would tell.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

A/N: I got this story idea from a Guest who berated me for something I wrote in another story. My story ideas might not please everyone, but that's the risk I'm willing to take posting stories for everyone to read. I love writing fanfics and I love 'Bones'.


	91. Chapter 91

(Between season 5 and 6)

A/N: doccalaban asked for this story. I hope this is what you wanted. (This is a companion story with chapter 90.)

I don't own Bones.

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Once Booth arrived at Camp Black Horse he tried to adapt to his new situation, but he found it harder to do than when he was a younger man. He had been assigned to many hot spots during his military career and they were all starting to blend together into one big nightmare. The unit he was assigned to was alright and the men and women he worked with were decent enough, but they were so young compared to him. Had he ever been this young?

He had only been in Afghanistan for a month and he already missed his son and grandfather. His grandfather was eighty-two years old and what if something happened to him while he was overseas? What if his last visit at the retirement home before he shipped out was the last time he would ever see Pops? And what about Parker? The boy had a part time father as it was and now it was even worse. He was going to be away from the boy for a year and God knows how much his son was going to change while he was gone. Why did he agree to the deployment? What had he been using for brains when he agreed to Colonel Pelant's demands?

He hadn't heard from Brennan and he had been in Kabul for a month. Maybe he was supposed to make the first move. He knew that once Brennan got to Maluku she was going to be busy, but too busy to write? Well, he'd just grab the bull by the horns and write first.

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Booth had been busier than he had counted on. Before he had signed up, he had been told that he was only going to train soldiers in the Afghanistan army to hunt and track down insurgents and that had been true the first month, but things changed the second month and there hadn't been anything he could do about it.

Colonel O'Brian had ordered him out on a mission that he was well qualified for, but the kind of mission he had thought he was finished with. There was a Taliban leader in Khost Province that had murdered several teachers in a school for girls and was threatening to kill anyone that dared to open the school again. The Colonel and given him the order to take the man out and with some help he had killed the murderer, stopping the man's war on schools.

This had not been what he had signed up for and there was nothing he could do to prevent it from happening again. He was a soldier in the United States Army and to decline a mission could cost him a court martial. He wasn't a civilian. He couldn't quit if he didn't like the job.

After that mission, he was feeling lonely, just a little bit guilty and more than a little lost. He had written his second letter to his partner at this time. He hadn't heard from her yet and he was starting to worry about her. Was she working herself into the ground? He knew once she started working on something it was hard to get her to stop. Many times in the past, he had practically kidnapped her from the Lab and taken her out to eat and then taken her home to rest. He worried that her fellow scientists at the dig wouldn't watch over her like they should. Of course, they might all be workaholics like she was and none of them with sense enough to know when to take a day off and rest. Squints could be so single minded and the frustrating part was he was too far away to take care of her.

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He had been out with the kids, teaching them how to track when they came under fire. One of the young men he was training was killed instantly while the rest of the unit had taken cover. Most of his group had been pinned down and they couldn't move without the risk of being killed. Luckily for him, he found himself in a spot that gave the shooter no way to shoot at him or even see him. Booth had slipped over the ridge behind him and worked his way over to where the sniper was hidden. Once the man was in his sight, Booth had shot him and his unit had been safe once more.

While his young men gathered around him, he had pointed out how he had taken the murderer out and used it as a teachable moment. The youngsters had been impressed with his skills and had congratulated him on doing such a fine job. It made Booth feel proud that his charges were so eager to learn under such extreme circumstances and they were willing to learn from him.

On the way back to camp, they were walking along a road they had used many times and one of his young charges had stepped on an IED, killing him and hurting several members of his unit. Booth had been far enough away to avoid most of the destruction, but not all. The top of his lower right arm had been sliced and the cut had been deep. After the wounded were taken care of, Booth had wrapped his cut with a bandage and later had it sewed up back at the base hospital.

The death of his men on his mind, Booth wrote to his partner. He decided not to mention what had happened that day since he was supposed to have a cushy job and wasn't supposed to be at risk. That was what Brennan believed and it was important that she keep thinking his job was safe. The last thing he needed was for her to worry about him. She had enough on her mind as it was.

Since she hadn't written yet, he didn't know if she was in touch with anyone else. Booth assumed that his partner was in touch with her best friend Angela and assumed that Brennan knew about the Lab being closed down. Cam had taken on the job of coroner for the Metro Police once her job as coroner at the Lab was gone. He had thought that there might be problems if he and Brennan had left, but he had hoped everyone at the Lab would pick up the slack and keep things going. Now he knew that hadn't happened and it made him both sad and angry. Cam didn't deserve to lose her job at the Jeffersonian and he hoped it was fixable when they got back.

Once his letter was done, he noticed a spot of blood on the bottom of the paper. When he had been hurt earlier that day he had also received a cut on his right hand, but he had thought a Band-Aid would take care of it. The blood oozing from the Band-Aid meant that he needed to go back to the hospital and see if that needed a stitch or two. Careful to wipe the blood from the paper, he had folded it and placed it in the envelope. He assumed the tiny bit of red would not be noticeable and he didn't feel like rewriting the letter anyway. He was so tired.

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Four months and no letter from Brennan. Booth was starting to get angry. How much time did it take to write a line or two on a piece of paper and mail it? Maybe their partnership was over and she was just too much of a friend to tell him in a letter. It was possible she didn't want to work with him anymore and she might not tell him until they got back state side. Of course, he now had to worry if their friendship was over too. She hadn't written him since they had parted and he wondered if she had decided that their friendship wasn't worth very much either. He didn't know. He never really could read Brennan that well. He tried and sometimes he knew what she was thinking, but other times he didn't get her at all. He really enjoyed their friendship and he knew that she liked their friendship too, but ever since he had asked her to take a chance outside the Hoover their friendship had been strained, almost fragile.

Perhaps they had finally broken that friendship. Maybe it had been too fragile. After all he was just an average cop and she was a genius scientist. Their friendship was unusual and the distance between them may have allowed Brennan to see that being his friend was a mistake. He didn't know. She wouldn't write and tell him. It was so frustrating.

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Sometimes his job seemed to be too much to take. Between training young men to be soldiers and being a sniper at the whim of his commanding officers, he felt that his life was no longer a happy one. It was out of his control and he only had himself to blame. His cosmic balance sheet was racking up kills again and he wasn't sure he would ever be able to fix that. His job at the FBI had allowed him to find murderers and get justice for victims, but now he was the one who doing the killing and he was so worried that God might turn his back on him. He had been to confession so many times in the last few months that he was sure his priest was sick of seeing him show up at service.

He should never have agreed to come back into the service. It was possible his soul was at stake and it might be too late to save it. He wished he had someone like Aldo to talk to, but he didn't and the priest that was available was young and inexperienced. He didn't understand Booth's worries. Father Alexander thought confession was all he needed, but Booth worried that the Father's absolution wasn't enough.

On top of his worries about his soul, he was also sure that his friendship with Brennan was over. It had been five months since they had last seen each other and she had not written to him in all that time. He had hoped she would write him and tell him that their friendship was safe, but no letters left him with only one conclusion. Brennan no longer wanted anything to do with him. Not only was his partnership done, but so was his friendship. He mourned that loss.

He had never had a friend like Brennan before. He tended to be a solitary man and rarely spoke about himself to the few friends he did have. His partner was different. He knew he could tell her anything and she rarely judged him. She knew some of his deepest secrets and yet he had never known her to talk about him to others. She hated gossip as much as he did. Of course, when she had been dating Hacker, she had let slip a little bit of gossip about him, but nothing important and nothing that made him mad at her for very long. She had made a mistake, but one he was sure she wouldn't repeat.

He wrote one last letter letting her know that he knew that their partnership was over. He was sure that their friendship was over too, but he told her that he would meet her at the reflecting pool when he got back just in case there was still a chance it wasn't over. He told her that he hoped she found happiness some day and he wanted her to know that her friendship had made him a better man. She had helped him give up gambling and that had been such a huge change in his life. It had given him a better relationship with his son and he would always be thankful that he had known Dr. Temperance Brennan. She had been his rock when he needed it and he hoped he had been her rock as well.

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There is one more chapter in this little story arc. Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

A/N: Don't worry, Hannah will not be in this story arc.


	92. Chapter 92

(The Mastodon in the Room)

A/N: Perscribo wanted to see Booth and Brennan meet up at the reflecting pool, so this is part of the story arc that began with chapter 90.

I don't own Bones.

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He was nervous. Booth hoped that he was wrong about Brennan and that she would meet him at the reflecting pool like they had originally planned seven months earlier, but he hadn't heard from her since she had gone on her dig and a lot had happened since then.

As he approached the staircase, he spied Brennan standing on the top steps and he felt his heart begin to pound. She had come after all and he was so happy to see her. Perhaps their friendship wasn't done after all. He waved his hand and dropped his duffel bag onto the cement pavement at his feet.

Not sure why, she had felt nervous until she had noticed Booth below the staircase. She hadn't seen him for the last seven months and she hadn't been sure he would actually meet her after she had read the last letter he had sent.

For the last two months, she had worried about her partner and if he was as safe as he had claimed to be. Brennan had written several letters to Booth, but they didn't seem to convey what she really wanted to say and she had refused to send them. She found it ironic that she was a successful author and had sold millions of copies of her books to an eager public and yet she couldn't write a coherent letter to Booth. She just hoped she would be able to communicate better in person. Hurrying down the steps, she raced across the open space and without hesitation, she threw her arms around him and hugged him.

Surprised to find her arms around his chest, he held against his body, his chin on her shoulder, his eyes closed, breathing in the scent of his partner. It had been a long time since he had received a 'guy hug' from her and it was comforting. Her arms moved away from him and he knew that he had to do the same. Opening his eyes, he looked her over and noticed the weight loss immediately. "I'm glad to see you. Did you have a good flight?" He had so many questions to ask, but he was afraid to start. He was still uncertain where he stood with her and he wanted to enjoy the moment while he could.

He looked good to her. He was tanned and seemed to be leaner, but she had expected that. "Yes, I did." She pointed at the staircase and smiled. "Let's sit down for a moment."

Booth followed her to the stair case and sat down. Brennan moved up one step further from where he had settled and sat down.

She had so many things to say, but wasn't sure how to begin. For some reason her nervousness wasn't going away. If anything, it was getting stronger sitting so close to her partner. "Was it dangerous in Afghanistan?" _Of course, it was. Why was she asking him that?_

"Nah." _What was he supposed to say? Of course, it was dangerous, but it was probably better if she didn't know that._ "Mostly administrative." _Well, that was kind of true. I did have some paper work to fill out._ "How about you? Any headhunters or cannibals?" _Please say no, for God's sake._

Brennan wanted to be truthful, so she mentioned the armed guerillas that had given her some trouble days before she came home. "I beat them up and Daisy and I got away."

He was a little flabbergasted, but on the other hand, it didn't surprise him. Brennan knew how to take care of herself and that was a fact. He had a few questions he wanted to ask, but the easiest one would be the first one. "Did you meet anyone special?" He was sure that she had found someone and that was why she hadn't written him and that was fine. Well, it had to be, didn't it?

"I was working, so there was no time or inclination for sex or romance." Brennan had been approached several times during her time at the dig, but she had rejected every advance. She had been there to work, not to find a sexual partner. She was going to ask him if he had met anyone, but decided against it. She wasn't interested in small talk. They needed to talk about more serious things. "I received your letters."

Not sure how to respond, Booth nodded his head. If she was going to cut to the chase then so be it. "You didn't answer them."

"No, I didn't." She stopped and considered what she wanted to say. "I wasn't sure how to answer them or if I should. I find it easier to talk to people in person than to convey my thoughts on paper."

He was surprised. "But you're a famous author." He was confused. Was she making excuses for not writing to him? She didn't do stuff like that. At least not before now. "What was so hard to write down? I just asked you if we were partners and if we weren't, were we still friends? One word on a piece of paper would have done it, Bones. One word."

She noticed he was a little agitated, but she couldn't understand why. "You make that sound so easy. Was I supposed to just write my magic word on paper and then mail it to you? How would you know what I was responding to? I deal better with people in person. You should know that by now."

His frustration level was growing. "Well, okay then. Here I am. In the flesh. Are we still partners?" He didn't have a lot of hope at the moment, but he wanted the answer to that question. He needed to get it over with.

"Yes, I believe we are." Brennan smiled. That hadn't been nearly as hard as she had anticipated. "Unless you wish to sever our partnership."

"Why would I want to do that?" He was happy she wanted to work with him. "Of course, I want to be your partner. That's what I've wanted all along. We make a great team. You and me, we're the best at what we do."

She agreed with him, but they had been separated for the last seven months and a lot of things can happen in that length of time. "I still think of us as friends too." There she had said it. She had finally answered his questions even if the answers were several months late. "When I left here to go on the dig, I was very confused. I loved working with you and I enjoyed our friendship, but at the same time, there was a risk that I could lose you. You could die and I might not be able to prevent it . . . I wasn't sure if it was wise to continue our partnership and risk someday watching you die. Your friendship is very valuable to me. Seeing you die . . . it would be heart crushing."

He had heard her fears before and he had tried to ease her mind about them, but she hadn't listened to him then and he wasn't so sure she would listen now. "It's true that what I do is dangerous, but you and me . . . we can't live our lives worrying about stuff like that. You can't live in fear about what might happen. That's not living at all . . . I've been in the Army since I was 20 years old. I've been in a lot of dangerous situations, you know that, but I don't worry about dying. If I lived in fear like that then I probably couldn't have done my job and I'd be dead by now. That's not how it works. If you're doing something that scares you and makes you worry a lot then you need to stop doing that something because that worry could leave you open to making mistakes, fatal mistakes." He wasn't trying to talk her out of working with him, but she needed to let go of her fears about him dying. It wasn't healthy.

"Yes, I understand that." Brennan had had plenty of time to consider all of the sides of her conflict while she had been away. "I came to the same conclusion a few weeks ago and I realized that I still wanted to be your partner no matter what the risks were. Our friendship is important to me and I don't wish to give that up." This conversation was going much better than a letter would have allowed and she was glad she had waited. "I don't think I could have conveyed my thoughts in a letter, Booth. You know I stink at nonverbal communication and writing personal letters is just as bad."

Her silence for the last seven months had worried him more than he liked to admit, but at least he now had his answers and he was grateful that it had turned out like it had. "Bones . . . do you think someday we could be more than friends? I'm not trying to pressure you and this has nothing to do with our partnership or our friendship. I just want to know if maybe someday you might want to give us a chance. If you don't think you can do it, then that's okay. I just need to know where we stand that's all."

She thought about it for a moment then nodded her head. "I thought about that while I was away. I thought about the reasons why I turned you down and I find that those reasons are no longer valid. I've changed since that time in front of the Hoover and I imagine you have too. I was afraid to say yes, because I didn't think I had your kind of heart. I didn't think I could commit to one person in a personal relationship, but I think I can . . . I have been away from you for seven months and I found that I didn't like it very much. You make me happy when we are together. You make me see the world in a different way and . . . and I think I like it. Do you understand? You know I'm not very good when it comes to personal conversations. I never know if I'm saying the right thing for the right reason. I don't want you to misunderstand me . . . I am saying yes that I think I can take a chance on a personal relationship with you."

His heart was racing. Standing, he pulled Brennan to her feet and kissed her. "You really surprised me, Bones. I didn't expect you to just say yes. I was hoping for a maybe."

"But a yes is better than a maybe isn't it?" She stared into his happy face and she knew that she had made the right decision. Booth was her friend, her best friend and she loved him. He was worth taking a chance on.

A sudden thought hit Booth while he kissed Brennan once more. _Oh my God. I need to call Hannah and tell her that we're breaking up. I need to call her tonight._ "Bones, a yes is definitely better than a maybe."

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Okay this is the end of this little arc. I hope you found it entertaining.


	93. Chapter 93

(The Grief in the Girl)

A/N: This chapter is rated T because of language.

I don't own Bones.

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James Aubrey was driving along the coastal road explaining that the beef jerky he'd bought was the best jerky he'd ever eaten and he had bought quite a bit to take back home.

"I hate to burst your bubble, but I don't think customs will allow you to bring jerky into the United States." Booth had read a brochure about what was acceptable products that could come into the country and he seemed to remember that meat was forbidden. "I think it has to do with mad cow disease or something like that."

Appalled, Aubrey kept his eyes on the road as he tried to figure out what to do with his jerky. "That doesn't seem fair. It's sealed and I'm pretty sure we'd have heard about mad cow disease from Dr. Brennan before we came up here . . . wouldn't we?" He glanced at Booth then back at the road.

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "She's not very talkative right now, at least not to me . . . I guess you need to eat as much of it as you can before we go back."

Struggling to decide what to do with his packages of dried meat, Aubrey didn't notice he had a little visitor until it was staring him in the eyes. Shocked, the Agent noticed a spider dangling from a silk thread almost touching his nose and that was a terrifying thought. As quickly as he could he slammed on the truck brakes, causing it to skid off the wet road and into a stand of trees on the side of the road.

Since he was staring out at the ocean while Aubrey drove, Booth wasn't aware there was impending disaster until the truck decelerated and started to skid into some trees. Not sure what was going on, he leaned back and hoped his seat belt held him in place.

The truck bucked on the grass and finally hit a small tree, stopping its progress. Airbags deployed, both men were prevented from being hurled into the windshield. Steam abruptly boiled up from the radiator and formed an acrid cloud over the front of the truck.

After he managed to get the passenger side door open, Booth jerked his seat belt off, pushed the deflated air bag towards the dashboard and fell out of the truck. Landing on his hand and knees he felt a sharp pain in his left kneecap which added to the bruises he already had. Struggling to stand, he staggered around the truck, pulled the driver's side door open, unbuckled his partner's seat belt and pulled the disoriented man from his seat to the ground. Squatting next to Aubrey, Booth patted the man's cheek. "Come out of it Aubrey."

Coughing, Aubrey focused on Booth and noticed some blood on the Agent's lips and chin. "Are you okay?"

Booth nodded his head. "Yeah, I bit my tongue . . . are you okay? Can you move?"

Feeling like someone had beat him with a two by four, Aubrey gritted his teeth and sat up. "My chest hurts . . . damn airbags." As he rubbed his chest, he decided that nothing felt like it was broken. At least he hoped so. "Help me up."

His hands under his friend's arms, Booth lifted the younger man with a grunt. Once Aubrey was standing, Booth took out his phone from his jacket pocket and dialed 911. After his call was answered, Booth told the emergency operator about the accident and where they were. "Okay, they're sending someone." While they waited, Booth walked around the front of the truck and tried to look between the tree and the front of the truck. "I'd say it's totaled."

"Damn it." Aubrey pulled his wallet from his pants pocket and searched for his driver's license and his insurance card. "My rates are probably going to go up. Shit!" He already considered his car insurance rate to be ridiculous and an accident was going to make it worse.

While they waited for help to arrive, Booth sat on the tail gate of the truck, pulled up his left pant leg and tried to find out why his knee was throbbing. Since he had been wearing black pants, he didn't discover he was bleeding until the pant leg was clear of the knee cap. "Damn it, I must have landed on a rock or something." The skin was torn and blood was oozing from the wound. Pulling a handkerchief from his pants pocket he pressed it against the wound until he could get help.

Feeling guilty for causing the accident, Aubrey tried to find a first aid kit in the truck, but couldn't find one. His chest still hurting, he rubbed his hand in slow circles on it while he watched Booth's hand start to stain from the blood soaking his handkerchief. Pulling a handkerchief from his pants pocket, he handed it to Booth. "Don't worry, I haven't used it. No snot."

Reluctantly, Booth took it from his friend's hand, stared at it for a few seconds and placed it on top of the soaked handkerchief. "I hope someone gets here soon."

He had just spoken when Officer Nate Bunting pulled up in his truck. Hopping out of the driver's seat, he opened the back of his truck, found his first aid kit and carried it over to where Booth was sitting. "I came as soon as I could . . . Besides the knee are you two alright?"

Booth nodded his head. "Aubrey says his chest hurts. I'm fine except for my knee."

"Well that's not true sir. Your chin has blood on it." He leaned forward to see why.

Since it was just his tongue, Booth shook his head. "I bit my tongue. My knee is the problem."

Understanding the situation, Officer Bunting pointed at the ground and spoke to Aubrey. "Sir, an ambulance is on the way. Please sit down until they arrive. I'd rather you not move around too much just in case you have a broken rib or two."

"Shit!" Aubrey carefully sat down and exhaled deeply causing pain to shoot through his chest along his ribs.

His hands now covered in latex gloves, Bunting moved Booth's hand away, removed the soggy bright red handkerchiefs from the knee, looked closely at it and pursed his lips. Placing some thick gauze over it, he taped it in place. "This will hold for a bit." Stepping back, he removed his gloves from his hands and placed them in a plastic bag where he had stuffed the bloody handkerchiefs. Walking back to his truck, he asked for an eta on the ambulance and once he was assured it was on the way, he moved back to the truck with a notepad in his hand. "Okay who was driving?"

Before Aubrey could say anything, Booth pointed at Aubrey. "Dale Earnhardt was driving."

"Well, Mr. Earnhardt, I need to see your driving's license and proof of insurance."

Glaring at his friend, Aubrey shook his head while he removed the items from his jacket pocket where he had deposited of them earlier. "The name is James Aubrey. Agent Booth thinks he's funny."

His face as serious as it could be, the officer nodded his head and noted the Agent's name. Taking the cards from Aubrey, he entered the information in his notebook and returned them. "Now Sir, please explain how this accident happened."

Embarrassed, Aubrey placed his closed fist against his mouth and coughed. He debated lying about what had happened, but he couldn't think of a plausible lie and he was in a foreign country. He didn't think it was a good idea to lie to foreign policemen even if they were Canadian. "Well, um . . . well . . . um . . ."

"Is there a problem Sir?" The officer didn't smell alcohol on the two men and he hadn't see any signs of inebriation.

Aubrey glanced at Booth and dreaded how his partner would react. "No . . . no problem . . . Okay, well . . . do you know who we are?"

"Of course, Sir." Ned Bunting knew everything he needed to know that happened on his island. "You're the two FBI agents helping Officer Sandling looking into the murder of the American girl, Sarah Abbott."

"Yeah, that's us." Aubrey knew he couldn't put it off any longer. "We were driving back from the Andreassen property and . . . well a spider almost landed on my nose and I hate spiders, they're such disgusting creatures and I hit my breaks because I was going to stop my truck and let the spider have the truck and well it skidded and." He paused to catch his breath. He knew he was speaking too fast, but this whole thing was humiliating. "The road is damp and the truck skidded off the road and it hit a tree. I don't know where the spider is."

His eyes wide with disbelief, Booth stared down at the agent and wondered if he could get away with killing Aubrey. Maybe he could ask Bones to help him? "You almost killed me over a damned spider? A fucking spider?"

Aubrey's defenses up, the younger agent glared at Booth. "Well you're afraid of clowns."

"And I'll never have to worry about a clown dropping from the ceiling of my truck and landing on my nose." Booth was furious. "You could have killed us all over something that probably weighs less than two grams, for God's sake."

"Since when do you know metrics?" Aubrey was now a little suspicious of his partner. The man seemed to be a little ignorant of science and here he was using grams.

Annoyed, Booth glared at his friend. "I do have a college education." He glanced at the RCMP officer and noticed the man was on the verge of laughing. "You think this is funny?"

"Of course, Sir." As far as Bunting was concerned this was making his day. Wait until he went back to the station and told everyone about this one. "I hear the ambulance coming." Turning he moved over to the verge next to the road and waited for the ambulance to arrive.

Aubrey was now annoyed with his friend. "If you know the metric system then why do you always ask Hodgins to speak English when he uses it?"

His knee throbbing, Booth noticed that the gauze was now red. "Because I don't want to have to convert that shit in my head. He can do it faster than I can . . . A damn spider. I don't think I'll ever let you drive again, at least not with me in the car. A fucking spider."

The EMT's arrived and took over the scene much to Aubrey's relief. He was tired of Booth's bitching about spiders. He didn't care how little they were, they were Satan's spawn as far as he was concerned and it pissed him off that Booth didn't understand that.

Ooooooooooooooooo

He was back home and he tried not to limp around Brennan, but of course she noticed and when he changed clothes for bed, she insisted that he show her his knee. "It's no big deal. I fell down and landed on a rock."

 _Fell down?_ "That doesn't sound like you. You are much more graceful than that. Why did you fall down?"

Booth pulled up his the left leg of his sweat pants and showed her the bandaged knee. "Aubrey lost control of the truck he was driving and he hit a tree. The truck was totaled . . . I was a little stunned by the airbag and when I got out of the truck I fell and landed on a rock. I didn't break anything, but the skin is torn and some of the meat was cut."

Brennan carefully pealed back the gauze and stared at the wound. It was starting to scab over, but it did cover a large portion of his knee cap. After she placed the gauze back, she helped pull her husband's pant leg back down. "How did Aubrey lose control of his truck?"

His eyes glittering with anger, Booth sat down and huffed. "A spider came down from the roof of the truck and almost landed on his nose. He freaked out . . . a fucking spider."

Although it was a serious matter, Brennan smiled. "You are afraid of clowns."

"And you're afraid of snakes. So what?" Booth was not going to let Aubrey off the hook. "No clown is going to fall on me inside my truck and I'm sure you'd notice a snake hanging out on the ceiling of your car."

"You have a valid point." Brennan shook her head. "I think it would be wise if you didn't let Aubrey drive you anywhere. I wouldn't want to lose you over something as ridiculous as a spider being present in the vehicle with Aubrey."

Booth took Brennan's hand and held on to it. "I'm not going anywhere, Bones. You don't have to worry about that. You told me I can't die and I'm trying my damdest to make sure that doesn't happen. Besides, how embarrassing would it be to have been through all the shit I've been through and the cause of my death was a spider? Boy that would be too embarrassing and Pops would laugh his ass off when I got to heaven."

"Yes, that would be a rather silly reason to die." Brennan sat down next to her husband. "We're burying Max tomorrow. I'm glad you're home."

Glad to be home, Booth placed his arm around her shoulders. "I'm glad to be home, Bones."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	94. Chapter 94

(The Woman in the Whirlpool)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I really don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

His life wasn't what he wanted it to be. Not by a long shot. He had thought that at this stage in his life, he'd have everything he wanted. He had a loving wife, two beautiful children and another child on the way. Booth was the head of Major Crimes at the Hoover and had already turned down two promotions so that he could continue to work in the field with Brennan. He loved investigating crimes and working behind a desk was not a goal in his life, although he was smart enough to know he would have to move up sooner or later. He was happy or he had been happy until he had started gambling again.

The itch to gamble had always been there and up until the case with the dead poker player he had controlled it. Now it controlled him and he was losing everything. He'd had everything he had ever wanted until he had sabotaged himself and he really didn't understand why.

Brennan was pregnant with their baby boy and here he was living away from her, because he lost control of his addiction. He wanted to scream in frustration, but he knew that wouldn't solve anything. Maybe there was no solution to his problem and he was going to die the loser his father had been. He had fought his whole life denying that he was his father, that he was a better man and now he wasn't so sure. Was he a loser like his father, like his brother? He prayed he wasn't, but at the moment all he could see was failure and loss.

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Restless, he had pulled on some sweat pants, an old tshirt, his running shoes and he'd left his efficiency apartment. His body thrumming, he needed to burn off some of the energy coursing through his body. He knew it was the urge to gamble that was causing this frantic restlessness. He had been fighting it all day and denying something he really wanted to do was making him a little crazy, a little hyperactive. Booth hoped that running might help. He prayed that it helped because he couldn't gamble. If he did that, he would be lost. It would mean there was no hope for him and there had to be hope. He wanted Brennan back. He wanted his daughter back. He wanted what he had tried to throw away. He didn't want to be his father. He didn't want to die alone and unloved.

Jogging around the park, he knew it was late because there were no joggers on the path with him. Because he didn't have to worry about other runners he picked up his pace and ran as fast as he could for as long as he could stand it. As he raced down the path, his feet started to burn and his heart started to pound. He was running too fast, but he couldn't seem to stop. He moved swiftly down the path, around the small lake and up towards the entrance to the park. As he approached the exit he knew he had to stop. Panting he staggered to a stop and the last few steps turned into a tumble. Rolling in the grass next to the path, he finally stopped face up, his breathing like a bellows as he tried to catch his breath. He was in good shape, but he was forty five years old and he couldn't run like the wind anymore. His feet were throbbing and he knew he had pushed himself too far.

As he lay looking up at the dark sky, he heard footsteps slowly approaching where he lay. "Hey, you okay?"

Moving up on his elbows, Booth noticed an old man standing on the path near where he had fallen. "Yeah . . . yeah." His breathing was still labored, but not as badly as it had been just a short while before. "I . . . I over did it." He wasn't embarrassed he had fallen, but he was aggravated that he wasn't the strong virile man he had been in his twenties. Those days were definitely gone. "I'm fine."

Moving over to a bench across the path from where Booth lay, the old man sat down and leaned on his cane. "I wish I could help you stand up, but I can barely keep upright as it is. It's a bitch getting old . . . I watched you running. You do know that isn't how to jog right? You're not supposed to run that fast."

"Yeah, I know." Booth's breath was finally calm and he sat up. "I was burning off some energy."

He had been a runner in his youth, so he understood Booth's need to run. "At least no one else is around . . . You're sure you're not hurt? That was quite a fall."

Booth shook his head. "When I saw I was going to fall, I tried to relax and roll. If you do that most of the time you won't get hurt."

The old man nodded his head. "Yeah . . . I come out here when it's late to walk and to think. I can't run, but the quiet of the park helps me clear my head."

"Yeah." Booth sighed. "It's been a bad day and I needed to do something." Booth noticed the old man had a ratty Army Ranger's ball cap on his head. "You were in the Rangers?"

"That was a long time ago." The old man smiled. "Good times . . . I served in the First Ranger Company. We destroyed the 12th North Korean Division headquarters during the war." He stopped talking and stared over Booth's head. "They can call it a conflict all they want, but it was a war as far as I'm concerned." He laughed. "That's an old argument I have with my oldest son all the time. He served in Desert Storm . . . My family has been in the military since this country started."

Booth pulled his legs up so he could circle his knees with his arms. "I'm a Ranger myself. I was in the 101st Airborne Division, 75th Ranger Regiment. I was part of Delta Force for a while." He wasn't sure he wanted to talk about his past, so he stopped.

"My name is Bob Cummings. Nice to meet you." Bob leaned back against the bench.

To be polite, Booth nodded his head. "Seeley Booth."

Bob stared at the younger man for a few seconds. "My middle son was a Ranger too. He served in the 75th like you. I don't know if you knew him . . . Bobby Cummings . . . Robert Cummings the third. He died in some mess in Ghazni Province in Afghanistan back in '02."

Sharpley inhaling, Booth felt like someone had walked on his grave. "You're Bob's father? Six two, red hair, hazel eyes, freckles so bad they looked like a birth mark on his face?"

Surprised, Bob nodded his head. "That's my boy. His brothers called him Spot when he was growing up because of the freckles. The boy took after his mother. She was beautiful, but she hated the freckles and avoided the sun as much as she could. I thought they made her look cute, but . . . well she's gone now and so is Bobby."

Chills running down his spine, Booth licked his lips. "I was with Bob in Ghazni . . . I was with him when he died."

Eager to hear about his boy's last day on Earth, Bob leaned forward. "Could you tell me about it? Did Bobby suffer? Did he . . . he was shot in the head . . . I . . . you don't have to talk about it. I understand."

He really didn't want to talk about it at all, but the man sitting across from him needed to hear about how brave Bob had been. "He didn't suffer . . . I promise he died quickly when he was shot . . . we were sent into Ghazni to secure a ridge. We needed it because of a special operation that was going to occur in the next few days. When we got there, we found out we weren't alone. The Taliban were already there. They pinned us down for six days . . . Our people knew we were in trouble and they tried to get us out, but we were in an exposed position and if we moved from where we were or if someone came up to rescue us . . . the situation was bad . . . Bob was a cheerful kind of guy. He thought it was his duty to keep up our morale and he did a good job. He kept telling us we couldn't quit. We had to fight and that we'd make it if we trusted our brothers to get us out. We just had to hang tight and we did, but the Taliban picked us off one by one. The day before our guys finally drove off the Taliban, Bob was worried that those of us who were left were going to die of thirst. We had all run out of water the day before . . . He and I . . . we decided to wait until it was dark and try for the water that our brothers had been carrying when they died. If we moved we risked being spotted by the Taliban, but we didn't have a choice. We could be shot or we could die of thirst. I managed to get three of the canteens and Bob got two. He wanted to go after McBride's canteen, but his body was further down the ridge . . . Bob moved out around midnight, but he only got about ten feet when he was hit. He died instantly. He was a brave man, Mr. Cummings. He was a Ranger to the end." He stopped speaking and wiped the tears from his face. Sometimes he cried when he talked about that moment in time and other times he was just angry. It was still hard to think about that fight and the loss of his friends. "Only three of us came out alive. Twelve of my brothers died and I was lucky enough to make it out. I still don't know why I was one of the lucky few, but . . . " He couldn't say anything else. Booth rarely spoke about that time in his life. He had told Wendell about it once when the man seemed to want to quit fighting his cancer, but he just hated talking about it. It was too painful.

The old man knew that Booth had struggled to talk about his boy's last day, but he was a Ranger himself and he appreciated that the younger man was willing to talk about it. "My boy was always an optimist. Nothing got him down. He believed that no matter how bad a hand you were dealt you had to play it and live with the consequences. But he firmly believed that you have control over those consequences. He'd tell me 'Dad you can roll over and give up or you can brush yourself off and move on. Giving up is not an option' and he was right. You can never give up . . . Thank you for talking to me." Bob stood up. "I need to go home. My daughter is going to worry if I show up too late. She's a worry wart." He moved across the path and stood on the grass edge. "Whatever has been chasing you must be bad. Face it, deal with it and move on." Waving his hand, he turned and walked slowly down the path towards the exit. The conversation had been sad, but he had got to talk about his son with someone that knew the boy and that made it worth it. His son had been brave as he had known all along. _Rangers lead the way!_

Booth continued to sit where he was and watched the old man until he disappeared through the park exit. He hadn't thought about Bob Cummings in a long time, but his philosophy was worth following. Standing, he brushed the dirt and grass from his backside and walked slowly towards the exit. _Tomorrow, I'm going to talk in my meeting. I'm done siting around waiting for Bones to take me back. All of this shit has been my fault and no one else's. I'm going to fix this shit pile I created and I'm going to get my family back. I'm not my father and I'm not Jared. I don't have to be._

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Let me know what you think about my story.

A/N: We heard about this deadly mission in 'The Corpse at the Convention."


	95. Chapter 95

(The Killer in the Crosshairs / The Change in the Game)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Alone again, his nights were restless and his sleep fitful. He had thought he would never be alone again once Hannah had moved in with him, but his inability to find someone that loved him enough to commit to him meant that he would probably always be alone. At least, that was how it felt at four in the morning when he couldn't go back to sleep.

His dream had been vivid and pleasurable and when his alarm clock had gone off he had reluctantly awakened to reality. Dragging himself from his bed, he entered the bathroom and began his morning ritual with a bath and a shave. While he was busy scrapping the heavy beard from his chin, he thought about his favorite dream and wondered why that one never left him. He didn't dream it very often, but when he did he remembered it and found it comforting that he had at least one dream that gave him so much pleasure.

He had first dreamed of the nightclub and his life with Brennan while he had been in his coma. The surgery had been successful and his brain tumor had been removed, but he had reacted rather badly to the anesthesia and had slept for four days. When he had come out of his deep sleep he had been able to remember his dream. All of it.

Oddly, the dream had seemed real and he had confused that make believe world with reality for days. It had taken numerous conversations with Sweets and Cam before he let go of that dream world and accepted the life he had. A life where he was just partners with Temperance Brennan. A world where he wasn't married to her and they didn't own and operate a nightclub. Instead he was forced to accept that he was an FBI Agent and he wasn't married to anyone. It was a cold life he was forced to accept, but accept it he did. What choice did he have?

After deciding to move on with Hannah while he was in Afghanistan, his life seemed to take a happy turn. At the time, he had felt that he might not be alone ever again and he felt lucky to have found someone that wanted him. Now he knew that he had set himself up for a fall by ignoring Hannah's warnings about marriage. She had told him on numerous occasions that she didn't want to get married, but he had ignored her and asked her anyway. After she had turned him down, he had been filled with rage. He wanted the life his nightclub dream teased about. He wanted someone to care so much about him that they were willing to marry him. Why did that dream haunt him and make him yearn for more?

"Why does that dream seem so real?" He couldn't understand why his coma dream was so vivid and so filled with detail. Every time it appeared it was as if he had stepped into a movie or a book and that it had played out like a murder mystery. "Wait . . . it is like a novel isn't it? A novel . . . a murder mystery?"

He spent the day thinking about the dream when he had time. There was something mysterious about that dream and he was determined to understand what that mystery was about.

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"Bones, I have a weird question I want to ask you." He had been debating asking Brennan about it for a few days and the problem wasn't going to go away by remaining silent. "Um . . . you know about that dream I had during my coma, after my brain surgery? . . . I told you about it and Sweets and Cam. Hell, I think I told everyone about it that I know . . . anyway, look, that dream wasn't like my normal dreams. It was vivid and very detailed and it was centered around a murder investigation." He paused and watched Brennan to see her reaction.

Not sure where Booth was going with his question, Brennan kept her face as emotionless as possible. "Yes, I remember. We were nightclub owners." She decided not to say anything else that might incriminate her.

"Um, yeah." He was still hesitating and he wasn't sure why. "The hell with it . . . Did you have something to do with that dream? I don't know . . . did you read me a book or tell me a story?" He stopped. He knew he was sounding foolish, but he wanted answers. He wanted to know why the dream wouldn't let him go.

She had assumed that no one would ever ask her about the book she had been writing during Booth's coma. Whenever anyone had asked her what she was writing, she told them she was working on an idea for a new novel. She hadn't elaborated further and she always stopped writing whenever anyone entered Booth's hospital room. Afterward, no one had questioned her about what had happened to the story since it was never published and Brennan had been grateful for that. Now Booth was questioning his dream and he was placing the origin of the dream at her doorstep. "It's possible I may have told you a story while you were asleep. I didn't sleep very well while you were in your coma." Her answer was evasive and it could possibly be considered a little white lie. Her partner had told her once that these kind of lies were common with average people. It was the closest she had ever come to telling Booth a deliberate lie.

"You told me a story." Wary of what may come next, he sipped some of his coffee and placed the cup back on the table. "A story about a nightclub called the Lab?"

She debated about whether or not telling a lie would serve a useful purpose and decided that it wouldn't. "Yes, it was called the Lab."

He felt conflicted. He now knew where the dream had come from, but that left so many unanswered questions. Questions he couldn't ask, at least not yet. "I see. Thank you." He left it like that.

She was relieved.

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Sitting in the Rose Garden outside the Jeffersonian, Booth stared into the distance not really looking at anything in particular. He and Brennan had been moving closer in their relationship for the last few weeks and had even gone on a few dates. They seemed to be comfortable with each other and that made both of them happy. It had been a long time since they had been that comfortable together and they were enjoying the closeness.

"Bones, I have a question for you." He had tried to talk to her about it in the past, but now seemed to be a good a time to finish that conversation. "That story you told me while I was in my coma . . . we were married and in love . . . you told me a story about us being in love."

"Yes, I did." Brennan had wondered if Booth was ever going to ask her about the dream again and now that time had come. She felt a certain sense of relief. "There was a possibility that you were never going to wake up from your coma. Your reaction to the anesthesia was sever and your surgeon was very worried . . . I was afraid that you might stay in your coma or worse . . . you might die . . . I needed a distraction and I started to think of a life where we were together. What that would be like. I started writing it on my laptop and while I wrote it, I read it out loud. It was our story and I wanted you to hear it . . . I wrote about owning a nightclub with you. It was safe to place it in another setting since we were not nightclub owners and it wasn't really about us."

Booth interrupted her. "But it was about us."

She wouldn't lie to him. "Yes, it was . . . I wasn't strong enough to admit that I was in love with you at the time. I was impervious remember?"

He remembered. "So, you made up a world and you put us in the middle of it."

"Yes." Brennan placed her hand on his thigh. "Yes, I did. To make it interesting I had a murder committed in our night club and we helped solve it. We weren't in law enforcement nor were we attached in any way to the FBI. It was supposed to be an amusing story, but it was more than that. We were married. We had a wonderful sex life and I was pregnant . . . things I didn't believe I was really interested in at the time, but apparently I was." She laughed. "It was very confusing."

"You wrote me a love story." Booth placed his hand over her hand and squeezed it gently. "You've never written a love story before, but you wrote one for me."

Her gaze upon their united hands, Brennan smiled. "Yes . . . we couldn't be more than friends at the time. I was afraid of the idea of love and I wasn't sure if you loved me as more than a friend. If you died while you were in your coma, I wanted you to know that I loved you, at least in our dream world. I wanted you to know that you were loved."

Booth's throat was tight and he had to swallow a few times before he could speak. "Thank you, Bones. It was a really nice thing to do . . . when I woke up, I knew I was in love with you. Once I realized that that world was just make believe I was sad, but that's because I knew that you weren't in love with me in my real world . . . That dream gave me hope, Bones. I remembered that dream and I thought about it sometimes while I was recovering from my operation. Afterward, when things were tough I could count on the memory of that dream helping me over the rough patches. I still dream parts of that dream once in a while. It's the best dream I've ever had and it . . . it gave me hope when I needed it. It still gives me hope. About us, about the possibility of there being an us. Do you understand?"

"I do understand, Booth." He loved her and she loved him. "It's just a matter of time before parts of that dream may become reality . . . not the married part and not the nightclub part, but perhaps the rest of it."

"Yeah?" Ever since their talk during the night of the blizzard, they had both been working on a way to become more than partners. "I think it won't be long, Bones."

She thought the same. "Yes, I am sure you are right. It won't be much longer."

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I hope you liked this one.


	96. Chapter 96

(The Big in the Philippines)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

She handed her husband a cup of coffee and he thanked her. He usually did that since he appreciated not having to get up and get one himself, but then he stepped out of character. "That's good, Bones. You make a great cup of coffee."

"Thank you." She did buy the best coffee and it was worth every penny she paid for it, but Booth never commented on the coffee he drank unless it was bad tasting. She wondered why he had complimented the coffee, but decided he was just being appreciative. "It's Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. My publisher sent it to me. He was pleased with the increase in book sales last month."

"Um, that's nice." He wasn't really interested in the brand of coffee and where it came from. The last time he had asked her about the coffee he was drinking, he found out that it was coffee that had been made from coffee beans defecated by civets, whatever the hell they were and then the beans had been roasted. Way too much information and a lesson learned. "So how about those Mets."

She knew he was changing the topic and she found it amusing. "How about them?"

"They actually won a game." Booth stood up, finished his cup of coffee, kissed her cheek and left the room. "Let's boogy Bones. We're going to be late for work if we don't move it."

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She had made it home before Booth and decided to cook dinner for the family even though it was his turn to do kitchen duty. Brennan had found a recipe for puttanesca and she thought Booth would appreciate it since it was similar to a dish his mother had made for them when she had stayed with them the previous year.

An hour later, Booth entered the house, smelled something delicious in the air and was eager to find out what it was. Following the delectable aroma into the kitchen he found a pot on the stove, lifted the lid and realized that Brennan had made him puttanesca. Grabbing a piece of bread, he dunked it in the sauce, blew on it to cool it off then ate it. "Oh my God, this is so good."

Appearing in the kitchen with Christine, Brennan smiled at her husband dipping more bread in the sauce. "Save some for dinner."

Swallowing his bite of bread, Booth placed the lid back on the pot and moved over to where Brennan was standing. "Hey, thanks for the puttanesca. It's even better than my mother's." He kissed her, pulled Christine from her mother's arms and kissed the child. "Your Mom is a fantastic cook, Christine." Booth winked at Brennan and placed their toddler in her high chair. "Thank you for cooking dinner, Bones. Your dinner is a lot better than what I had planned to make."

"You're welcome." His enthusiasm for her meal was a little overwhelming. "I found the recipe in an old cookbook that Hodgins owns. He let me borrow it."

"Well, I may just have to check out Hodgins book collection." Booth walked over to the fridge and removed two beers. Handing one to Brennan, Booth glanced at the stove. "You want me to make a salad for us? I can do that while you feed Christine."

"Thank you." Brennan appreciated his thoughtfulness.

Grabbing romaine, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions from the fridge, Booth pulled a large bowl from a cabinet and started to make salad. "I'm going to have to thank Hodgins. It's been awhile since I've eaten puttanesca . . . yeah, a while." Even though he had tried to accept his mother back into his life, he hadn't heard from her since his wedding. He accepted that she had a family that had nothing to do with him. He hadn't had a mother since he was a boy and he didn't really need her now. "Oh, hey, I got an idea. Why don't we invite Max over for barbecue on Sunday? We can check up on him and see what he's up to."

"Yes, maybe we should." She knew that her father was in town, he had called her that morning. "He's been out of town since we were married . . . I'd like to know where he goes. He has odd acquaintances."

"Odd acquaintances . . . yeah, okay." As far as Booth was concerned, his father-in-law was not to be trusted too much. The man seemed to have a lot of secrets. "I'm glad you're trying to trust Max, Bones. He hasn't made it easy on you, but I think it's great that you try." She was more forgiving than he was. After all, he had hated his father and hadn't seen the man from the time his grandfather had rescued him until his old man had died. "Yep, you're a kind person, Bones. Very kind."

The compliments seemed to be overboard and Brennan was staring to worry. Booth had been excessively polite for the last few days and it was starting to bother her. "Are you angry with me?"

Shocked, Booth placed his knife down on the cutting board and turned to face his wife. "Why the hell do you think I'm angry with you? What did I say that made you think something like that?" He had been very polite for the last few days and now he was being accused of being angry. Could he ever win?

"You're too polite." They had had this conversation before. "You've been complimenting me for several days about things that don't require compliments. The last time you were this polite you were angry with me. I want to know what I've done to make you angry with me."

Rubbing his forehead, Booth realized that he had been out of character lately and Brennan had picked up on it. "Bones, I'm not mad at you. I promise that you haven't done anything wrong. You've been your normal wonderful self. Really."

"There . . . another compliment." Now she was really worried. "Stop it Booth. What is going on?"

Irritated, Booth leaned back against the counter, his arms crossed against his chest. "Since when is it wrong to compliment you? What's wrong with being polite?"

"There is nothing wrong with compliments and being polite when it is deserved, but you have been complimenting me for mundane things." Brennan felt that her husband was hiding something from her. "Why, Booth?"

He closed his eyes for a few seconds and decided that he'd better talk to her before his quiet evening turned into a battle. "Life is short, Bones . . . Anything can happen to us at anytime . . . I think you deserve to be complimented when you do something nice for me. I want you to know that I appreciate your kindnesses . . . I don't want you to think I don't appreciate you because I do."

A sudden thought hit her. "This is about Mr. Bray."

Licking his bottom lip, Booth finally nodded his head. "One minute he was healthy and on top of his world and now he's fighting for his life . . . I have a dangerous job. I could walk out the front door tomorrow morning and some punk could end my life." He snapped his fingers. "Just like that. I want you to know how much I love you and how much I appreciate having you in my life . . . I don't want to die and you not know how much you mean to me."

She felt her eyes water. She had not expected such a raw confession. "I know you love me, Booth. That's why I married you. I have never loved anyone like I love you. You don't have to be excessively polite to me. I know what I mean to you and you should know what you mean to me. You don't have to be so polite because you're afraid you might die and not have some final words with me . . . I love you. Be yourself and stop worrying about your final moments on this earth . . . Just be you. That is all I need . . . Of course, you should compliment me when I do something out of the ordinary like make you puttanesca. That is a very hard recipe."

Amused, Booth moved over to where his wife stood and placed his arms around her. "Hey, thank you for making me puttenesca. It really does taste better than Mom's recipe."

She hugged him and smiled. "Hodgins' recipe book also has a recipe for pasta e fagioli."

"No, really?" Booth hadn't eaten that dish since his grandmother had died. "I'm going to look at that cookbook." His mouth watered just thinking about it. "You know what I like Bones. Thanks for borrowing the book." He kissed her. "I'll try to tone down the politeness . . . as weird as that sounds, it really isn't me, is it?"

Brennan kissed him. "Just be you, Booth. That's all I want."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	97. Chapter 97

(The Death of a Queen Bee)

A/N: this story idea came from 'akbk'. I hope this is what you had in mind.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

He looked at the ring on his left hand. It was there because he and Brennan had gone undercover at her class reunion. He played the part of her husband, Bobby Kent and though the role had been uncomfortable in the beginning, he had enjoyed himself at the dance. His arms around her, slow dancing. It had seemed so right and yet he knew it was so wrong.

The rings had been Brennan's idea. When she went undercover, she tried to be authentic which he found amusing most of the time. Once the ring had been placed on his finger he had felt the weight on his hand and it could not be ignored. He had worn it because Brennan had insisted on it, but he had paid a small price doing it. The meaning of the ring was purely superficial to her, but it had real meaning to him. The irony was not lost on him.

He had asked her to take a chance on a relationship the week before and she had turned him down. It was probably the worst moment they had had between them. When she rejected him, he had realized that she didn't love him. She had told him that she didn't have his heart which was her way of telling him that she didn't believe in love. She had told him that many times over the years, but he had hoped that she could see that he loved her more than life itself and she might try to give them a chance. Wasn't he worth a chance?

His hopes had been dashed and he had to live with the fact that she only wanted to be his partner and friend. It hurt, but he knew he needed to be strong for both of them if their friendship was to last. He had told her he needed to move on, because what choice did he have? Not accepting her refusal would have been gross. She had a right to say no and he had to accept that. To do anything else would be a betrayal of her friendship and he could never do that.

Now that they were ready to go home, he no longer needed to wear the ring. Before he removed it, he kissed the solid gold ring and stared at it longingly. Slowly he removed the ring and placed it on top of the dresser. He needed to return it to her before they left. She had bought both of their rings in a jewelry store in town and they belonged to her.

Sitting on his bed, he stared at the ring as it glowed in the light from the lamp on the nightstand. He had loved Brennan for a long time, but he would never get what he wanted. She was his friend and his partner and he had to accept that, but that ring . . . that ring was such a powerful symbol. "Damn Bones. I know you're afraid, but I love you. I guess I'll always love you."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

She looked at the ring on her left hand. The simple band of gold hadn't really cost that much and she had wanted to use it to influence her former classmates. It was important that they thought she was married to Booth. They were undercover and their roles as a married couple meant they needed the rings.

Wedding rings are a powerful symbol, but she hadn't realized just how powerful that symbolism was until she bought Booth his ring and he had placed it on his finger. The look of sadness on his face had almost broke her.

The previous week had been a trial for both of them. The book Sweets had written about her partnership with Booth had been filled with inaccuracies. Sweets had concluded that Booth and she were in love, but that they used their jobs and friendship to mitigate the attraction. He seemed to think they were afraid to admit that they were in love when the fact was they weren't in love at all.

Then Booth had asked her to take a chance on a relationship with him outside the Hoover and she had almost panicked. Ever since Booth had had his brain surgery he had felt different to her. Most of the time, he acted like he was in love with her, but she knew he wasn't really in love with her or anyone else. The removal of the tumor had damaged his brain. Most of the changes in Booth were minor and could be overlooked, but the looks of adulation that he gave her when he didn't think she was looking had been worrisome. She had hoped he would remember that they were just friends, but that hope had proved futile when those longing looks had turned into a plea to start a personal relationship with him. He couldn't see that what he was feeling was not real. She had told him she didn't have his heart and she had meant it.

Love wasn't real and what he felt had been caused by his surgery . . . hadn't it? He had been her best friend for a long time and she loved him as a friend. She would do anything for Booth, but she wouldn't live a lie for him. She couldn't live with him. That would be enabling his fantasies and he needed to come back to reality. He didn't love her because love didn't exist. It had never existed. What he was feeling wasn't real and she felt that she had to be strong for both of them.

It was up to her to protect their friendship and to not let it slip into a fantasy that would be destructive in the end. Since love didn't exist, she had to protect Booth from making a grave mistake. If she had agreed to his plea for a chance, she was certain that it would have ended in the loss of their friendship. The pressure would be too much.

As she slipped the ring from her finger she had a momentary pang of regret. "If only love was real. It would be nice to be in love with you Booth. It would be nice to know that you love me."

She sighed and placed the ring on the top of her dresser. If they went undercover again as a married couple, she would not insist they wear wedding rings. It wasn't worth the sadness on her partner's face. It wasn't worth the pain she felt protecting them from Booth's romantic side.

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As they ate breakfast, Booth watched a couple in a nearby booth, kissing each other. They were young and obviously in love. He thought about what it was like to be in love and he knew that so far in his life, love had caused him more pain than pleasure.

"Booth . . . Booth do you have the ring I gave you?" Brennan wasn't sure what she was going to do with the rings. More than likely she would place them in her jewelry box in her bedroom and never look at them again.

Booth slipped his hand in to his pants pocket and it came back out empty. Next, he slipped his hand in his other pants pocket and it too came out empty. With a look of puzzlement on his face, he checked his jacket pocket and found his wallet, truck keys, a comb and his phone. "I'm sorry, Bones. I guess I lost it . . . Just tell me how much you paid for it and I'll give you the money when we get back home."

"No that's alright." She was disappointed that he had lost it and she wasn't sure why that was, but she wasn't upset. After all, it was just a meaningless piece of jewelry. "I didn't pay that much for it." She would have liked to have had the ring back, but she wasn't going to worry about it if that didn't happen.

Embarrassed, Booth shook his head. "No, let me pay for it." He didn't want her to be out money on the ring. "I lost it let me pay for it."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "If you insist, but you don't have to if you don't want to."

"I'll pay for it." Booth needed to pay for it.

"Alright." Brennan finished her coffee and stood up. "I'm going to go to the bathroom before we leave."

Once she was out of sight, Booth pulled the wedding ring from his pants pocket and stared at it. He couldn't let her have it back. Being Bobby Kent was the closest he would ever get to being in a relationship with his partner. Sighing, he placed the ring back in his pocket. He'd pay for it, so it wasn't actually stealing, was it?

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	98. Chapter 98

(Season 11)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Aubrey sauntered into Booth's office and stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh my God, what are you eating?" The tantalizing smell of bacon mixed with other mysterious spices was making him so hungry.

Careful to finish chewing his bite of food, Booth help up his right hand. "It's a bacon taco. Crispy bacon, melted cheddar cheese, onions, pico de gallo on a grilled flour tortilla." He took another large bite and slowly chewed the delicious food.

"Oh my God. Where did you buy it?" Aubrey leaned over and peeked at the sack next to Booth's hand, but it was just a plain white bag with no logo. He salivated over the thought of crispy bacon in a tortilla with melted cheese. "Come on, Booth." He was anxious to try it as his stomach growled approval.

Finished with his taco, Booth pulled the third and last taco from the bag. Opening it, he noticed the cheese was still soft and gooey. "Remember last week when I was hungry and you had three hamburgers and you refused to share?"

"I was hungry." Aubrey had been starving at the time and he felt that Booth could have ordered lunch if he didn't have time to go get some.

"I'm hungry right now." Booth took a big bite from his taco and hummed. They were probably the best tacos he'd ever eaten.

Annoyed, Aubrey picked up the bag the tacos had been in. "At least tell me where you got them."

"I don't know where they came from." Booth felt full, but he was determined to finish the taco. "Bones dropped these off a few minutes ago. She said she was leaving the Jeffersonian when she spotted the truck and bought these for me. She knows I love bacon so bacon tacos. She threw them in the microwave for a few seconds to melt the cheese before she gave them to me. She's great isn't she?"

"Yeah, great." Aubrey back up towards the door. "I got stuff to do." As he left Booth's office, he pulled his phone from his jacket pocket and made a call.

 _Brennan._

"Hey Dr. B. this is Aubrey." He was hungry and he wasn't going to beat around the bush. "What was the name of the taco truck . . . the one you bought the tacos for Booth from."

 _I don't know._

Surprised, Aubrey gasped. "You don't know? It would have been written on the side of the truck."

 _I didn't care what the name of the truck was, Aubrey. I saw the word taco printed on the truck which was all the information I needed._

Well, that sucked. "Well, if you see it on the road, let me know what it's called and where it is." A sudden thought hit Aubrey. "Wait, I thought you have a photographic memory."

 _That only works if I actually read what it is I want to remember. I read the word Taco and that was fine. The back door was open so if there was a name on the other side I don't know what it was. The side of the truck had a large window and lists of menu items, but no logo. I didn't see a name or logo therefore there is nothing to remember._

Disappointed, Aubrey sighed. "Thanks Dr. B." He ended the call and heard his stomach protest. "Hey I tried, stop it."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

A week later and Aubrey once more found Booth eating a delicious bacon taco. "Come on, Dr. B bought you more tacos? Did she bring enough to share?"

Finishing off taco number two, Booth pulled a third taco from the bag. "Yes, they're from Bones. God, I love that woman and no she bought three tacos, just enough to feed me. She knows I'm going to be in meetings most of the day and she wants to make sure I eat. Isn't she wonderful?"

"Yes, wonderful." Aubrey sighed. "Did she mention the name of the truck?"

Swallowing the delicious bacon, Booth shook his head. "She said she bought them from the taco truck she stopped at last week." Booth pulled a piece of bacon from the tortilla and stared at it. "This bacon is so good. Thick and crispy just how I like it." He popped it into his mouth and chewed with pleasure.

His stomach growling, Aubrey felt like Booth was torturing him. "Come on, give me a bite at least so I know what I'm missing."

Tearing off a small piece, Booth handed it to his friend and popped the rest of the taco in his mouth.

Once in his mouth, Aubrey moaned in pleasure. "Oh my God. I need the name of that taco truck."

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "Can't help you. I don't know. Just know I have the best wife and partner ever."

Frustrated, Aubrey left the room and considered his options. Retrieving his phone from his jacket pocket, the Agent made a call.

 _Brennan._

"Hello Dr. B, it's me Aubrey." He said a quick prayer. "Did you see the name of the truck this time when you bought Booth tacos?"

 _Yes, I did._

His heart beating faster, Aubrey grinned. "Alright. What was the name of the truck?"

 _Tacos._

"Tacos? Are you kidding me?" Aubrey was starting to think he was being played. "The name of the truck was tacos?"

 _Yes. I'm busy Aubrey. I need to end this call._

The call ended before he was ready. Aubrey shook his phone. "Damn it." His stomach rumbled and Aubrey wasn't in the mood to hear it complaining. "I'm trying. Leave me alone."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Four days went by and Brennan entered Booth's office carrying two white bags filled with tacos. "Here are six bacon tacos. Angela says she hopes you enjoy them and she thinks our joke is mean." She placed the bags on Booth's desk and sat down. They had been using Booth's morning meetings as a trigger for Brennan to bring tacos to him, but Angela had told them this would be the last day for their joke. She knew that Aubrey loved to eat and this joke might be going a little too far. She didn't think making Aubrey crazy was a good idea.

Checking each bag, Booth smiled. "I think she might be right, but I'm getting free tacos out of it so I'm good with it. Every time we go to a crime scene, Aubrey checks out all the taco trucks he sees. He made me late to our crime scene on Tuesday when he thought he had found the truck and Cam wasn't happy with us . . . still it is pretty funny how Aubrey keeps looking for your mysterious taco truck."

Brennan laughed. "We are very amusing." Brennan had come up with this particular joke after Booth had complained about how Aubrey usually didn't like to share his food, but expected him to share his food. "Angela makes delicious vegetarian tacos if you're interested. She has brought several to work as well as the bacon tacos and some fish tacos."

"Oh, fish tacos." Booth licked his lips. "I'll have to get her to make me some of those."

Booth saw Aubrey approaching his office and closed the bags of food. "Mayday Bones . . . Aubrey is coming up right behind you."

As he approached Booth's office, Aubrey realized that Booth had company. Picking up the pace he entered the office and noticed the two white bags on Booth's desk. "Dr. B., did you bring Booth some tacos?" The aromas in the room smelled so good and his stomach wanted whatever was in those bags. "I see you have two bags . . . I love tacos especially bacon tacos."

Amused, Brennan turned around on her chair and smiled at the agent. "I love tacos too as long as they are vegetarian." She didn't say anything else. She and Booth had agreed that they would see how far Aubrey would go to get some of the tacos.

Booth opened one of the bags, removed a taco, slowly removed the paper surrounding it and took a large bite. Moaning with pleasure, Booth winked at Brennan then swallowed. "Thank you for bringing me the tacos. I had that meeting this morning and missed breakfast . . . This is so good.

"You're welcome." Brennan could see Aubrey staring intently at Booth's taco. Turning to face her husband, she pointed at the second bag. "I brought extra tacos. I'm not sure why. Perhaps you could save them for lunch."

"Uh, Booth . . . I'll buy those tacos from you. They aren't very good if you let them sit around for hours . . . the tortilla gets soggy from the pico de gallo . . . they're just not as good as when they're fresh made . . . you know?"

His love of bacon made Booth hesitate. "I could always throw the tortilla way and just eat what's inside." He took another bite and wondered how far he should take the joke.

"Oh, you don't want to do that. You have to eat the taco with the tortilla to get the whole affect." Aubrey moved around the desk and stared at the unopened bag. "I'll give you twenty-five dollars."

"Twenty-five dollars?" That got Booth's attention. "You'd give me twenty-five dollars for three tacos?" That seemed fiscally irresponsible to him.

Aubrey knew he seemed too eager and Booth might string him along just because he could. "Really good tacos cost about six or seven dollars each . . . The price includes telling me where you got these tacos, Dr. B. I want to be able to buy them in the future. The next time you see the taco truck take a picture of it. I'll track it down from there."

The price offered seemed fair to Brennan and she knew the joke needed to end. "Give Booth the money, he will give you the tacos and I will tell you where I got the them."

Eager to finally get his hands on a whole bacon taco, Aubrey fished a twenty and a five out of his wallet, dropped the bills on Booth's desk and picked up the unopened bag. "Deal."

The transaction and the joke coming to an end, Brennan smiled. "I didn't buy the tacos from anyone. Angela made them for me. We got you Aubrey. This is a very funny joke."

Shocked, Aubrey held the bag against his chest. "You . . . you got these from Angela?" He had busted his butt for two weeks trying to find a taco truck that didn't exist." Opening the bag, he peeled back the paper on one of the taco and bit into it. His moan was so loud and ecstatic that Booth stared at his friend in shock.

"Damn Aubrey, want to be alone with your taco?" Booth shook his head. He loved food, but not like that.

"Yes, I would." Aubrey left the room munching on his taco. Booth had been right. They were so delicious and he needed the recipe. Once he was in his office, he placed the bag on his desk and pulled his phone from his pocket. "Angela, you are a taco genius. Could you teach me how to make these bacon tacos? They're the best ones I've ever eaten."

 _So, you know I made them?_

Aubrey pulled another taco from the bag. "Yes, Dr. Brennan and Booth had their laugh and I guess it was funny in a weird kind of a way. Please tell me how to make these."

 _I'll send you the recipe. I'm glad you're not mad about the joke._

"Mad? Ha, I'm getting a recipe fit for the Gods." Aubrey didn't see a down side to the joke. "Thank you, Angela. The next time Dr. B wants to play a joke on me like this one please, feel free to participate." He took a bite of his taco. "Oh my God. These tacos are so good."

 _Okay, sure._

The call ended, Aubrey sat down, propped his feet on his desk and ate the rest of his tacos slowly to savor every bite. He knew he could never complain about a joke if he was rewarded in the end with food like this.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

A little silly. I hope you liked it.


	99. Chapter 99

(Season 9)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

The new girl seemed to be working out well. She was fast, had a great attitude and seemed to be a hard worker. Jane was pleased with the help and hoped that Kelly stayed at the Diner for a while. While she was placing a milkshake down in front of Agent Barns she noticed Kelly rushing towards her with a look of terror on her face. _Now what!_

"Jane, oh my God, we need to call the police." Kelly was trembling and trying to keep her voice low, but the hysteria was making her voice louder instead.

Puzzled, Jane looked around and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "Why? What's wrong?"

Kelly moved closer to Jane and pointed at the back table near the window while trying to hide the fact that she was pointing. "That couple is talking about murdering someone. I think they already did it and they have a picture of the body to prove it. It's so gross . . . We need to call the police before they leave."

As patiently as she could, Jane turned Kelly to face her and placed her hands on the young woman's shoulders. "They are the police. The man is FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth and the woman is Dr. Temperance Brennan. She's a forensic anthropologist. They solve murders . . . They've been warned about the pictures though." Jane lowered her arms. "If you're going to work here you're going to have to get used to that stuff. The FBI and the scientists at the Jeffersonian like to eat breakfast and lunch here. They forget they're in a public place sometimes and say anything that pops into their head."

Relieved that the couple wasn't dangerous, Kelly laughed although it was tinged with embarrassment. "Okay . . . you should have warned me. That picture is so gross. How can they eat and look it? It made me want to throw up just looking at it."

Jane patted Kelly's upper arm, walked around her and marched over to the table where Booth and Brennan were sitting. Pointing at the picture lying between the couple, Jane interrupted them. "We've talked about this before Agent Booth . . . Dr. Brennan. This is a place where we serve food and no one wants to see those kinds of pictures while they're trying to scarf down a hamburger or a salad."

"Sorry, Jane." Booth scooped up the picture and handed it to Brennan who placed it in her messenger bag. "We forgot."

Since she was defenseless against the agent's charming smile, Jane nodded her head. "Well, okay then. You scared Kelly, our trainee. She thought you were murderers."

Puzzled, Brennan placed her bag on the floor. "Does she really think a murderer would display a picture of his or her victim in public? That would seem rather counterproductive."

Amused, Jane laughed. "That is why prisons are full Dr. Brennan." Jane noticed the almost empty coffee cups on their table and knew it was time for a refill. "You should know that." As she walked away she heard Booth chuckle. He had the sexiest laugh and she wished he belonged to her instead of Dr. Brennan.

"Okay, Kelly, they need a refill." Jane pointed at the coffee pot and the partners. "They put their picture away . . . If they do that again, just tell them to put it up. They'll do it."

Kelly nodded her head, picked up the coffee pot and carried it over to the table. Once the coffee cups were refilled she turned to go, but the Agent stopped her.

"Kelly." Booth felt bad for the new server. She was working around crime fighters and that wasn't always pleasant. "We didn't mean to scare you. A lot of times our lunches are working lunches . . . If we get a little too offensive just say something and we'll talk about something else."

Embarrassed that she had jumped to conclusions, Kelly nodded her head. "I didn't know you were police . . . still the picture was awful."

"It was and we're sorry." Booth picked up a couple of sugar packets, tore them open and dumped the sweetener in his coffee. "Besides our picture, how do you like working here?"

"It's nice. Frankie seems nice." Kelly noticed a customer trying to get her attention and left.

Brennan waited for Kelly to leave before she commented. "We did promise Frankie that we would stop displaying crime scene photos at the diner."

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "We made a mistake. Don't worry about it." As he picked up his burger he noticed Hodgins enter the Diner holding a small box in his hands. "No rest for the wicked."

Before she could comment, Hodgins sat down next to her and placed the box on the table in front of him. "I'm glad I found you before you went to talk to Heidi Fleegal. I don't think she did it."

"Couldn't you just call me?" Booth had wanted to have dinner with his wife. God, he still loved staying that. Wife. It seemed so surreal that he was Brennan's husband and . . .

"Booth, pay attention." Hodgins had started to explain why he was there when he noticed Booth zone out. "Come on man. You're not on your honeymoon anymore."

Annoyed, Booth took a bite from his burger and chewed it slowly while glaring at the entomologist.

Now that he had both Brennan and Booth's attention, Hodgins started over. "Okay, our victim was supposedly killed at her house by her best friend Heidi and the evidence seemed to corroborate that, but I combed Nancy's hair to see if there were any particulates in it and guess what I found?"

Impatient, Booth swallowed his bite of burger. He hated twenty questions unless he was doing the questioning. "Just tell us bug boy."

Disappointed that Booth didn't want to guess, Hodgins frowned at the man. "Couldn't even to do one guess?"

Placing his burger down, Booth leaned forward. "How about I guess how long it would take you to die if I take my gun out and shoot you between the eyes."

"Booth, Kelly heard you say that." Brennan had noticed the server moving towards them, but abruptly turn around and walk behind the counter. "I think you offended her again."

"What'd I'd do?" Booth was starting to get very annoyed. "If I can't talk normal around here then we may have to find another place to eat lunch."

Hodgins waved his hand to recapture Booth and Brennan's attention. "So anyway, when I combed Nancy's hair I found hair that didn't belong to her. Now the girl seemed to have decent hygiene and she had enough bath products in her bathroom to prove it." He paused. Booth was pointing at his wrist watch. "Alright . . . anyway, I found hair that belonged to someone else and that had to mean that they were pretty close . . . like kissing close . . . so, I had Cam run some DNA and I really think you should wait for the results to come back. There may have been someone else at the house that day."

Brennan thought it was sound advice. "We should wait, Booth. I think Hodgins may have found something that might alter your theory about Heidi."

It didn't do any harm to wait. It wasn't like Heidi was going anywhere. Her daughter was expecting her baby any minute and Heidi wasn't going to leave her daughter alone in that situation. "Fine . . . what's in the box?" He regretted asking as soon as the words left his mouth. "Wait."

Eager to show his friend the contents, Hodgins popped the lid open and pulled out a small snake. "Oh yeah, look at what I found at the pet store down the street. Michael Vincent will love it."

Several things happened at this time. Brennan moved her chair closer to the window and away from Hodgins trying to keep as much distance between them as possible. The lady sitting behind Hodgins turned to look and screamed. Kelly who was carrying a plate of spaghetti to a nearby table dropped it and backed towards the counter and Frankie who happened to be behind the counter talking to a customer shouted at Hodgins to put the snake back in the box. "What's the matter with you? I've told you not to bring animals into my Diner. Are you trying to get me shut down by the board of health?"

His cheeks scarlet, Hodgins slipped the snake back in the box. "It's just a milk snake for goodness sake. It's harmless. I mean, yeah sure . . . it kind of looks like a coral snake, but it isn't."

Kelly had had enough. Marching over to where Frankie was fuming, Kelly slapped her hand on the counter. "I quit. This place is nuts." After she grabbed her purse and fled the building, Frankie and Jane walked over the Booth/Brennan table. "Okay, I hate to do this, but you three are banned from the dinner for the rest of the week. You crossed a line that I told you, you can't cross."

Jane shook her head. "I told you to behave."

"What did I do?" Booth held his hands up. "I didn't do anything."

Frankie didn't care. "All three of you are banned until next Monday. Pay your bill, Jane will put your meals in to-go containers and you can leave . . . I hope the board of health doesn't shut me down." Furious, he stalked back to the counter. "Jane, scrub that table down. I mean make sure no snake cooties are left behind."

Hodgins glanced at Booth and knew that his friend wanted to strangle him. "It's just a milk snake . . . okay I'm going."

As his meal was dumped into a Styrofoam container, Booth fished in his wallet for money. "Come on Bones. I guess we can eat at the Founding Fathers for the rest of the week. Damn Hodgins anyway."

Brennan calmly took the to-go boxes from Jane and stood up. "I think it's a good thing that Kelly quit. She seems very excitable. It was just a milk snake. They're very innocuous."

"Innocuous?" Booth stood up and gulped some of his coffee before placing the cup back down. "You practically plastered yourself against the wall."

"You are mistaken." Brennan was not about to admit the snake had frightened her. "I was merely allowing Hodgins room to display his snake."

Booth snorted. "Sure you were."

She didn't like the connotation of those three words. "I was, Booth. I am not afraid of snakes." As she and Booth walked towards the door they continued their bickering. Once they were gone, Frankie placed his hands on the counter, stared at the floor and sighed. "My best customers and they are a damn pain in the ass."

Jane laughed. "They are a lot of fun though. Isn't this the fourth time they've been banned?"

Frankie smiled as he turned to look at his best employee. "Five, but who's counting?"

Oooooooooooooo

I hope you enjoyed this one.


	100. Chapter 100

(The Hole in the Heart)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

They weren't sure how it began. One minute it was drinks after a successful conclusion to cases and the next minute it was dinner and dancing once or twice a week. It wasn't anything they agreed to do, it just happened. Those few get togethers morphed into almost a daily get together and once they were seeing each other everyday everything seemed to click for them.

There had been an awkward distance between them since Booth had asked Brennan to take a chance on a relationship. It had thrown them off kilter and they never seemed to be able to get their footing back.

Then they were separated for seven months and when Booth came back Brennan had discovered that he was in a committed relationship with someone else. The awkwardness between them continued. Neither was willing to give up their friendship or their partnership and yet they couldn't seem to be comfortable with their situation. Neither knew what to do and the strain was enormous. It was something that most of their friends could see, but no one knew what to do about it or even if they should.

Brennan had been the first to break. The Lauren Eames case had forced her to look at her life and what it meant to deny love when freely given. She had found herself on the verge of a breakdown during the case and with a flash of insight, her world righted itself. She knew that she didn't want the life that Dr. Eames had lived. She was smarter than that. She could learn not only from her own mistakes, she could learn from someone else's too.

With her new-found balance, Brennan knew that she had several options open to her. She could proceed to find someone that would love her and commit to her in a personal relationship. Her second alternative was to leave love to chance. If there was someone out there for her, she would find them sooner or later and if she didn't find anyone then that was fine too. She was the best anthropologist in the world and a best-selling author. She had friends and a small family that loved her. She would not disappear never to be missed like Lauren had been. When she passed away from this life, her passing would not go unnoticed because she did have solid connections with those around her. She just hadn't realized it until confronted with the death of a renowned doctor that no had noticed was gone.

Her third option was a risky one, but in the end, Brennan decided that it might be the best one for her, at least for the moment. Booth was in a relationship with Hannah and that relationship seemed to be rather tenuous or at least it seemed that way to her. Hannah was gone more than she was home and she had loudly declared to Booth's friends that she was a nomad. Booth didn't seem to understand that fact and it was possible his relationship would not last very long. Brennan was patient and she would see what would happen with his relationship before she moved on. She was in no hurry.

There was one thing she knew. She loved Booth and she didn't want to give up his friendship or their partnership no matter what happened. She had known Booth for a long time and she valued his friendship. It was probably the best relationship she had ever had with anyone in her life and if all they ever were, were friends then she would accept that.

Booth's break down came when he had asked Hannah to marry him and she had declined. She was only interested in a loose relationship with him and didn't want to permanently commit to him or anyone else. This had been a devastating blow to Booth. He had thought he had finally found someone that loved him enough to commit to be with him for the rest of his life. The blow had caused him to fly into a rage and to try to cut himself off from everyone he knew. He had even told his partner that they would just be partners from that point on. He was bitter and that bitterness was all he had at that moment.

Of course, he couldn't remain angry forever. After all, he didn't want to be his father and he would never sink so low as to treat the ones he loved as horrifically as his father had. He did have friends and they had bent over backwards to ignore his ugly mood. They knew Booth and they understood that he had been crushed. Brennan had stood by his side and watched as his anger turned to disappointment and then to confusion. He claimed to be angry up until their enforced confinement in the elevator during a blackout, but Brennan felt it wasn't anger that was holding Booth back from moving forward, but uncertainty. He seemed to feel safer where he was and he was afraid to move forward. Brennan could understand that since she had been guilty of that herself. She understood the fear he felt. For a long time, she had believed that love didn't exist because her parents had betrayed her as a child. Booth has always known that love existed, but it seemed that love was meant for others and not for him. She knew that he just needed to take a chance again. He needed to see that love was waiting for him if he would just risk it.

They had both gradually moved towards each other, cautiously protecting themselves and yet willing to risk it if their partner made that first move. In the end no one made the first move. Oddly they started dating without calling it that. They had never done anything the normal way and this was just more of the same.

There was no telling how long they would have continued to date without calling it that until Vincent Nigel Murray was murdered. They both knew that Booth had been the intended target of Brodsky and that fate had intervened. That night, while Brennan mourned the death of her intern in the arms of Booth, they found that the wall between them had completely disappeared. There was no hesitation between them and that night they consummated their love. It was life altering moment for both of them.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Booth was happy. It had only been nine days since the English intern had died, but he couldn't help it, he was happy. Running his hand through his hair to make sure it was alright, he hesitated before knocking on the door of Brennan's apartment. He hadn't said he would be over that night, but then again, they never seemed to make plans about their evenings. Ever since she had got back from the intern's funeral they seemed to find a way to be together every night. He couldn't stay away and Brennan seemed to like his company.

Ready, he knocked on the door and waited. When no one came to the door, he knocked once more. After a while, he realized that either Brennan wasn't home or she didn't want company. Either way, he was disappointed. Not sure what to do with himself, he walked over to the stairwell, opened the door, jogged down to the first floor and made his way out to the sidewalk. His hands in his pants pockets, he stared at his truck and tried to make up his mind what to do.

If Brennan was at work, she was there for a reason. She had fussed at him the previous evening that she was falling behind in her work and she needed to show some progress to Cam. He understood that he had been taking up a lot of her time, but he was so damn happy when he was with her and he wanted to be with her all of the time.

Since he didn't want to interfere with whatever she was doing, he decided to pick up a pizza and go back home. Once he was there, he placed his boxed pizza on the coffee table, removed his jacket and draped it on the back of the couch and sat down. Using his remote he flipped through the channels trying to find a game to watch when he stumbled upon a movie that he hadn't seen in a long time. He knew it was considered a chick flick, but he liked 'You've Got Mail'. It had a happy ending and not every movie made him smile like it did. Perhaps he liked it because it showed that love was possible even under the most distressing circumstances or maybe he just liked it because the guy got the gal and it always gave him hope.

While the movie was on, he ate his pizza and drank beer. It wasn't the evening he had expected to have, but it was a peaceful one and he had had few of those in the last several weeks. His anger had been real and he had isolated himself as much as possible when Hannah moved out. It had taken him a few weeks to recognize his attitude was pushing him in a direction he didn't want to go in. His father had been an ugly bitter old man who hated the world because his life wasn't what he wanted it to be. As far as Booth was concerned the man had had everything and he had thrown it away. He would not do that. His anger had died, but he did make the decision to protect himself from emotional entanglements. That didn't mean he wanted to give up his friendships or his family though. A man had to have some connection with the world. He had just wanted to make sure no one ever broke his heart again. He probably would have kept on that path if it hadn't been for his partner.

His thoughts disrupted by a knock at the door, Booth left his pizza and beer behind to answer the door. "Bones!"

Brennan stood in the doorway with an uncertain look on her face. "Am I disturbing you? I can leave."

"What are you kidding me? Come in." Booth stood back to allow her room to enter the apartment. "You aren't disturbing me. I was just eating pizza . . . hey, you hungry? Oh wait . . . it's a meat pizza. I'm sorry . . . I could order you a veggie pizza if you want one. I have beer." He couldn't stop talking. He was excited to see his partner.

"No Booth." Brennan interrupted him by holding up a plastic bag. "I stopped by Mama's and bought enough vegetable soup for both of us. You can eat your pizza and I will eat soup. I will accept some beer though." She walked down the hallway, noticed the movie on the TV and was surprised he wasn't watching a game. Sitting down on the couch, she placed her bag on the table. "I finished identifying one of the lost ones in Bones Storage, so once I was done, I decided to see if you wanted company."

He grabbed a bottle of beer from the kitchen and hurried back into the living room. After he handed her the bottle, he sat down next to her and turned the volume down on his television. "I always want your company. Never doubt that for a minute.

"Aw, that is so romantic." Brennan placed the beer on the coffee table, leaned over and kissed him. She enjoyed kissing her partner. It was still new and exhilarating.

Their kiss threatened to turn into more, but the couple parted and smiled instead. "I'm a romantic kind of guy, Bones." Booth really loved kissing his partner and did it as often as possible. "I'm glad you came over. I missed you."

His words were just so romantic and it made Brennan's heart flutter. "I missed you too . . . I thought it might be novel if I stayed here tonight. So far, you have stayed at my apartment and I don't want to appear to be selfish."

"Thanks, I need to do some laundry tonight. If I don't I could end up going commando in a couple of days." Booth winked at her. "Of course, going commando could save us some time."

Brennan laughed. "I'm sure it would." Removing her container of soup from the bag, she opened it and retrieved a spoon from the bag. "It could prove embarrassing if you were to hurt yourself and ended up in the hospital."

"Hey, don't jinx me like that." Booth fussed at her. "Don't even put that out there. I have enough scars thank you very much."

"I'm sorry." She worried that she had stepped over a line. "Of course, I don't wish you to get hurt."

Worried that he had upset her, Booth shook her head. "I know that . . . Have you told Angela about us yet?" So far, they hadn't told anyone about their relationship. He wasn't sure why.

"I told you I told her about our first night, but I haven't mentioned our staying together." She was afraid if she said something about their relationship, someone would try to interfere in their private business. "I worry that our friends may try to give us unsolicited advice. We need to handle our relationship our way. We don't need anyone's advice."

"Yeah." Sometimes, Booth was afraid that he was going to wake up and find out it was all a dream. "I talked to Deputy Director Bishop about us. I had to. He said that since you're not an FBI employee then the non-fraternization rule doesn't really apply. He did say we have to be professional at crime scenes. If he finds out we're not, he might sever our partnership, so no making out at crime scenes Bones." He laughed. "That would be kind of gross anyway. Disgusting bodies can be a real mood killer."

Relieved that their partnership was safe, Brennan sighed. "I am always professional, Booth."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just telling you what Bishop said." He picked up a slice of pizza and took a bite. He was hungry and he was glad he didn't have to share it even if that was a little selfish. "Um . . . Bones, I need to say this and I don't want you to get all weird on me but . . . um, well . . . I love you."

Brennan placed her spoon in the container and stirred her soup. "I know that."

He placed his pizza slice back in the box and turned to face her. "Do you really know that? I really do love you, not just as a partner and a friend. I love you!"

She placed the soup container down on the table. "We have had sex numerous times in the last few days. I believe you have told me that you love me at least eleven times so far."

"Um, yeah, but I want you to believe it." Booth was sure he sounded foolish. "It's not a line. I love you. I'm not just saying that because I think it's something you want to hear. It's real. I'm being real."

"I love you, Booth." Brennan found Booth to be an enigma sometimes. "You have told me that you love me. I trust you and I know you don't say things you don't mean."

Booth took her hand in his hand and stared into her bright blue eyes. "Look, this is important. I know you think that love can die because of your parents and those idiots you've dated in the past, but this is real and it's not going to die. I'm in this until the end. My end . . . I've never wanted something or someone so badly and now that I have you in my life . . . I want you to understand that I'm never going to leave you. We're going to have our ups and downs because we always do, but I love you and that love is stronger than any bullshit we get up to . . . This is real . . . this is permanent. You don't have to be scared because love doesn't have to die and it won't. I won't let it . . . I love you."

He was so intense and Brennan knew that Booth was making a solemn vow to her. "You say that you love me and I am telling you that I love you, Booth. You need to stop worrying about me. I am not going to run to another dig if our relationship becomes bumpy. I am through running from you and I'm through running from me . . . I . . . I have always avoided emotional entanglements because I didn't trust what was going on. I don't pick up on social cues like most people do, you know that. Often times, I don't understand what I am feeling, so you can imagine what it is like to try to understand what others are feeling . . . I try and in the past, I've failed and it hurt me because I'm not like most people. I can't always understand what I am feeling and when it comes to expressing those thoughts . . . I don't want you to give up on me because I can't explain what I am feeling and why . . . I don't . . ."

"Bones." He saw her struggling and it made him sad that she doubted herself so much. "I will never give up on you. If I have to beat a dead horse to get something across to you, I will and you can do the same for me. Don't give up trying to explain something to me if it's important to you, okay? I'm not as smart as you are and sometimes you have to explain something more than once and that's okay. The important thing is to keep trying. We have to talk each other . . . just keep talking and so will I."

Her nose wrinkled. "Why would you or I beat a dead horse? The idea is quite repugnant."

"Um, it's just a saying, Bones. It means that I'll keep trying." She looked so cute when she was confused. Those little lines between her eyes, that little nose scrunch . . . damn she was so beautiful.

"Oh, I see." Some of the things Booth claimed was a popular saying seemed rather gross and off putting, but it was something she was used to by now. "Yes, I will keep talking . . . Are you really hungry right now?"

A sly smile on his face, Booth leaned forward and kissed her. "Yeah, but not for pizza."

The look of lust on his face was quite unmistakable. She had known it would be a good idea to visit Booth for the evening. A very good idea. "I too am hungry for something else . . . would you like to go to bed with me and find out what it is?"

He stood up immediately and pulled her to her feet. "Oh, that is a yes Bones. Hell yes."

She kissed him then kissed him again. "Your kisses are becoming quite addictive."

His eyes glittering, Booth gripped her hand and pulled her towards the bedroom. "Damn that is so hot, Bones. You can have as many kisses as you want anytime you want wherever you want."

"Except at crime scenes."

He laughed. "Yeah, not at crime scenes . . . at least not where anyone can see us."

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	101. Chapter 101

(Season 12)

A/N: this is going to seem like a very odd story, but it will make sense in the end. I got this idea while chatting with a few friends the other day on twitter.

I don't own Bones.

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His day had been exhausting. He hadn't realized how hard it was going to be running the Lab while Cam was on her sabbatical until he had actually had to take over. The King of the Lab was responsible for the continued reconstruction of the Lab, the day to day operation of the Lab as each section reopened and employees returned to work as well as his own work load. He was responsible for timesheets, work assignments for the interns, disciplinary sessions for some of the employees who didn't play well with others. He was also required to meet with the board once a month to make sure that they were satisfied with the costs of the construction and the new security procedures being installed. All in all, he loved it, but he was working longer hours than he had counted on and sometimes his body protested.

One evening, his legs started to jerk uncontrollably and he knew it was time to go home. He wasn't superman and his body was demanding rest. Once he was home, Angela helped him into bed since his body was refusing to cooperate. Frustrated he complained to Angela. "Damn it, I used to be able work twenty straight hours without a hitch. It isn't fair."

"Well whoever told you that life is fair lied to you." She was tired and being five months pregnant wasn't helping the situation. "You're getting older and even if you weren't in that chair, you'd still be slowing down. I used to be able to stay up for hours myself. I could work a full day, go out and dance until three in the morning, maybe work on some of my paintings when I got home and still get to work by nine. I haven't been able to do that since Michael Vincent was born and I don't regret it. It's just life."

His wife sounded grumpy and Hodgins knew that her pregnancy was making her nervous. They were both living in fear that the baby would be born blind, but like before it was a waiting game and there was nothing they could do about it. "No, I understand and I didn't mean to complain, it's just . . . I miss it . . . I miss having a healthy body and . . . okay, enough. I'm just tired. I never realized how hard Cam's job is. Man, she does so much and I never really realized it until I had to do it. I can't wait for her to come back next month. I will gladly give up my crown and go back to being Jack Hodgins, Bug Boy Extraordinaire during the day and fantastic father and husband at night."

She couldn't help it, she laughed. "It always looks easy standing outside and looking in. Cam is so good at her job, but I'm glad I don't have to do it." Angela rubbed her hand slowly across her stomach. "I can't wait until the baby gets here. It's more fun being a mother than being pregnant."

"Yeah, I'll bet." Hodgins felt better. His wife always made him feel better. "Come to bed. You're tired and we promised Michael Vincent that we'd have waffles for breakfast."

Angela smiled. "He does loves waffles." Moving onto the bed, Angela relaxed and felt her sore muscles thank her. "I love you Jack."

Almost asleep, Jack managed to respond. "Love you too."

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

He awoke to find an eerie blue glow in the bedroom. Not sure what was going on, he tried to wake up Angela, but found out he couldn't speak or move. Terrified that his body had finally betrayed him, Hodgins struggled to move his arms only to find them immobile at his sides.

Sweat broke out on his forehead as he fought to gain mobility. Unable to get help from Angela he wondered if he was dying. Maybe his body couldn't take it anymore. He felt close to panic. He wanted to say goodbye to his wife, but it looked like he was going to die with the words unsaid.

Movement in the doorway drew his attention. He couldn't turn his head, but his peripheral eyesight was exceptional and he was able to see a figure standing in the doorway. Unable to speak or move, he lost sight of the figure as he or she moved further into the room. Soon the figure was standing over him and Hodgins felt the hair on his arms and legs rise up. The figure was neither a man or a woman, but a creature like he had never seen before. If he had been asked to describe the creature he would have said it seemed cat like. The creature had short brown fur covering its body including its face. It's mouth slightly protruded from its face and there were large ears on the upper side of its head. The creature was roughly five feet tall and when he held up his hand to touch Hodgins' face he noticed the finger nails were claws.

He was afraid, who wouldn't have been, but he was also curious. He had so many questions, but when he opened his mouth he still couldn't speak.

The creature patted his shoulder and held up an elongated box in his hand. Without saying a word, he moved the box over Hodgins' body and the entomologist felt like his nerves were on fire. He wanted to scream, but of course he couldn't. Suddenly, as if a light switch had been turned off the pain ended and he panted. He had never felt such excruciating pain before and he hoped he never did again.

The box now lowered at his side, the creature pointed towards the floor and then at Hodgins. Surprisingly, the scientist could now speak "I can't get out of bed without my wheelchair. Do you understand?"

Apparently amused, the muzzle of the creature appeared to move into the shape of a smile, which Hodgins found to be charming. Why? He didn't know and he found it odd that he thought so. The creature once more pointed at the floor and at Hodgins' legs. When the man refused to move, the creature reached over and slapped Hodgins on the side of the head and growled revealing a set of very sharp teeth.

"Hey." Angry, Hodgins rubbed the side of his head and realized he could move. Not sure why he tried the impossible, he moved and found that his legs were now on the edge of the mattress. Filled with hope he sat up, swung his legs over the side and stood up. "Oh my God . . . Oh my God." He couldn't believe it. "Angela wake up. Look I'm standing."

Though he was desperate for her to see the miracle, she didn't waken. "Please Angela wake up." Turning towards the creature, Hodgins reached out his hand and touched the alien's arm. "Thank you . . . I don't know why you did this, but thank you. Oh my God. Thank you."

The creature smiled, stepped back and walked over to the doorway.

He didn't want the creature to leave yet. "Hey. Come back. Don't leave yet. You need to tell me who you are and how you did this. Come back . . . come back."

His shoulder was shaken roughly and Hodgins' eyelids snapped open. He was lying in his bed and his wife was leaning over him. "What . . . what . . ."

"Hodgins, you need to wake up. Your yelling is going to wake up Michael Vincent."

Cold reality back, Hodgins stared at his wife and started to cry. "I could walk . . . I could walk."

She knew that he had had a dream and that dream was better than the harsh reality of life. "I'm sorry, Jack. You were dreaming. It was all a dream."

Tears sliding down his cheeks, he nodded his head and swallowed. "But I could walk."

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Interesting?


	102. Chapter 102

(In the future)

This story was suggested by mendenbar. I hope this is what you were looking for.

I don't own Bones.

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As he pulled his pants on, Aubrey felt a moment of panic. They were too tight and that just couldn't be. As he struggled to zip them up, he came to the conclusion that the dry cleaners had either given him someone else's pants or they had screwed up somehow. Inhaling, he managed to get the zipper to the top and let his breath go. "Damn, I wish I was still on vacation."

The last two weeks had been bliss. He and Jessica had gone on a gastronomic vacation to New York City. They had studied restaurants menus online, and were careful to choose restaurants that would give them a culinary education during each meal. They had tried as many different ethnic restaurants that they could work into their vacation. Jamaican, Thai, Korean, Russian, Polish, Senegalese, and Indian and they had loved them all. Their trip had been everything they had wanted it to be, but now that he was home and he could no longer wear shorts, jeans and hawaiian shirts, he was finding it hard to get into his suit. "Damn dry cleaners."

His shirt was a little tight across his stomach and so was his jacket, but he didn't have time to change into something else. He had a meeting with Booth at 8 a.m. and if he didn't make it on time, he would hear about it all day. The man hated it when anyone wasted his time.

Disgusted that his suit was making him uncomfortable, Aubrey shook his head and decided to change dry cleaners. It was outrageous what the man charged high prices and his work was definitely slipping. He had an image to uphold and he couldn't do if he didn't look his normal dapper self.

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The snigger was unmistakable and the look on Booth's face told him that this was going to be a long day. "This isn't my fault. The dry cleaner must have given me someone else's suit." Aubrey really hated Booth's sense of humor sometimes. He sat down across the table from the Assistant Deputy Director and folded his hands on the table. "You want to start the meeting?"

Amused, Booth reached for a box of donuts sitting near his elbow, opened it and slid it over to his SAC. "Have a donut." He waited to see if Aubrey would take his usual three and much to his disappointment and surprise, Aubrey shook his head. "No . . . really?" Maybe he should check his calendar and see if the end of the world was scheduled for that day. "Okay." He grabbed one, bit into the crispy dough and slowly chewed the sugary pastry. "Mmmm."

Annoyed that Booth was playing games at his expense, Aubrey flipped open one of the folders near his elbow and started to read it. "We need to get this meeting started. I have things I need to do. I probably have a thousand damn emails waiting for me."

Finished with his donut, Booth moved the box so it was no longer in reach of his friend. "About a hundred from me, so good luck."

" _Wonderful."_

Oooooooooooooooooo

He met Jessica at the Diner and when he sat down he noticed the look of amusement on his wife's face. "This is not my suit." Huffing, he flipped the menu open and though he was ravenous, settled for a chef salad, a cup of coffee and a slice of cherry pie.

A little shocked, Jessica stood up, leaned over and placed her hand against his forehead. "Are you sick?"

His irritation growing, Aubrey jerked his head away from her. "I'm not sick. I just think I should cut back today since my suit is a little tight. I don't want to split my pants. That would just make Booth's day, the sorry bastard."

She wanted to laugh, but Jessica knew it would make the situation worse. "Well, we ate so much on our trip, I think we could both use just a salad for lunch. I think I gained three or four pounds while we were on vacation. I just need to increase my exercise regimen for the next few days and it will be okay . . . Maybe you should join me at the gym."

"Hey, I told you the dry cleaner screwed up. This is not my suit." The idea that he needed to exercise was ludicrous. "I run and that's all I need. I'll start back to jogging tonight after work. I'll run at the park then come home."

She shrugged her shoulders. "As we get older, our metabolism starts to slow down. You may not be able to eat whatever you want like you used to."

"Hey, I'm a young man . . . I am. Forty-two is not old." He glared at his wife. "I take after my mother. She could eat anything and she always looked like a bean pole."

"Your mother was forty-four when she died, wasn't she?"

Not sure where this conversation was going on, Aubrey crossed his arms against his chest. "What the hell are you trying to say?"

He was angry, but she didn't care at the moment. "Your mother was skinny because she was very sick. You have no idea if she would have stayed skinny if she had been healthy. She loved to eat like you do . . . I think you need to go on a diet."

Shocked, Aubrey stared at his wife as if she had lost her mind. "Are you kidding me? This is not my suit. How many times do I have to say that?"

Their food now at the table, Jessica leaned back and watched her salad being placed on the table before her. "Do what you want, Aubrey . . . I have to go back to work after lunch, so we need to eat now . . . I'm going to make baked zucchini tonight and a side salad I think."

The handwriting was on the wall. His wife thought he was fat and she was making him go on a diet. Would the humiliation ever end?

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Apparently not. That evening, Aubrey checked the suit he was wearing carefully and found it really did belong to him. Grabbing a couple of other suit pants from the closet he found both were tight and there was no getting around it. Somehow his body had betrayed him.

Reluctantly, he stepped into the bathroom, stepped on the scales that belonged to Jessica and cringed when he found out he was nine pounds heavier than his optimum weight. "No! This isn't right." He stepped off then back on. To his disgust the number didn't change. "Nine pounds . . . Oh my God, what if I didn't take after Mom after all, but my Dad. Mom said he was thin when he was young . . . No, I want my old body back. This is just wrong."

Jessica leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom and shook her head. Her husband had always had a great body and he still did. Nine pounds was not the end of the world. "You're worrying too much. If you add a little exercise to your daily regimen and instead of eating three hamburgers for lunch, eat two and skip the milkshake, you'll lose that nine pounds in no time."

He knew her plan was sensible, but he was angry that his V8 engine was turning into a V6. "I'm not fat."

"Who said you were?" Jessica had never seen someone so upset over a few extra pounds. She had gained a few pounds over the years, but her doctor had told her that her weight was the right weight for her. She had been too thin when she was younger and now she had something to fight with if she ever really got sick. "You look great to me. You're the one going on and on about his weight. You don't see Booth having a cow about his weight. I've seen him painfully thin and I've seen him heavier and robust. That time he was so thin he looked like a kid could knock him over was just scary. Everyone has weird weight changes especially as they get older. Cut back about twenty percent of your food consumption, jog when you can and maybe hit the gym with me on the weekends. Either you'll lose the nine pounds or you won't. This may be the new you and you need to accept that. I did when my body changed . . . Buy a new suit and see what happens."

She was practical and perhaps that was what he needed at the moment. Someone practical. "Yeah, I guess you're right . . . I just thought I'd always be like this."

"Life is change, Aubrey." Jessica stepped into the room and once she was closer to her husband, she placed her arms around him. "You are not fat, Superman. You're maturing and like a fine wine, your body shows it." She kissed him and once they parted, she slapped his butt. "Dinner is ready . . . baked zucchini . . . salad and some baked chicken . . . I added some extra spice to the chicken just the way you like it. Maybe you can sweat off the pounds."

He pulled her against his body. "I know of a better way to burn off calories."

"I'll bet you do."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thanks.


	103. Chapter 103

(The Mystery in the Meat)

A/N: In the Tough Man in the Chicken Suit we found out that Booth dated twins in the past and it didn't work out too well for him.

I really don't own Bones.

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Booth had given Brennan her best friend back and she was grateful to him. She was well aware how badly Angela had treated her husband when he had originally turned down her wedding proposal and yet he had encouraged her to go to a bachelorette party sponsored by Angela and to have a good time. She didn't think Angela appreciated just how kind and considerate Booth was.

"Angela was very happy about the bachelorette party. She said since she didn't have one she wanted to live vicariously through me." Brennan had thought that odd and even odder that Booth had pushed her to agree to go to the party.

"You deserved the party." Booth wanted Brennan to experience things that she had never had a chance to experience before. She had so few friends that he was certain she had never been involved in a bachelorette party. When he had rescued her and the other drunken revelers from the police the previous evening at the bar he had been more amused than annoyed. His wife was so drunk she could barely stand, but she was happy and that was all he had wanted. "I'm glad Angela was willing to give you one."

She was puzzled. Booth had put his animosity with Angela aside and she wanted to know why. "Why did you push me to attend the party? You and Angela have not had kind words for each other for months."

As they walked down the sidewalk, Booth thought about how he should answer. "When I was in college I dated twins . . . they were identical twins and for some reason they both wanted to date me. It was kind of weird when I think about it now, but at the time it seemed like a lot of fun. We went on separate dates by the way. I'm not a pervert . . . anyway, everything was going fine until one day, Jose got into a fight with Cindy. I never did find out what the fight was about, but all of a sudden I was in the middle of a family feud. I was stupid and I should have broke up with both of them, but I thought I could handle it. After all, it wasn't my fight . . . I can't believe I couldn't see what was going to happen, but I didn't."

Brennan was intrigued. Booth rarely talked about his past girlfriends and she found this conversation to be fascinating. "What happened?"

"Well . . . Jose came to me one day crying and she told me that Cindy had got their brother on her side and that she didn't have anyone on her side. Like a dumb ass, I told her that I was on her side and not to cry about it anymore . . . Of course, Jose tells Cindy that I'm on her side and that made Cindy so mad she broke up with me. I was still dating Jose, so I didn't see any problem." Booth laughed. "I wasn't too bright back then."

Annoyed, Brennan hooked her arm around Booth's arm and corrected him. "You were simply inexperienced Booth. We all make mistakes when we're young. We just don't have enough experience that allows us to see the dangers our decisions can put us in."

He appreciated her defending him, but he still thought he'd been an idiot. "So anyway, they're sisters and of course they made up. I didn't see a problem because I was just dating Jose not Cindy and I thought it would keep on like that . . . I guess Cindy didn't want Jose dating me because I had taken sides and she thought Jose was being disloyal dating me, so Jose dumped my ass and then I didn't have any girlfriends. After that I vowed to never get in between sisters when they're fighting. I'll only lose." He remembered how Cam had become angry with him when they were fake dating and her sister Felicia had kissed him. It hadn't been his fault that Felicia was trying to make Cam jealous and what was worse he wasn't even dating Cam at the time and yet Cam had turned on him when he tried to set Felicia straight. Sisters were a pain in the ass as far as he was concerned.

"I don't understand what this has to do with Angela and myself." Brennan was trying to put the clues together, but so far they were eluding her.

"Yeah . . . you and Angela are like sisters. She's as close to a sister that you're ever going to get." Booth wanted to be as clear as possible. "When she was angry with me it was for you. Angela was trying to protect you as a sister and as a best friend. She didn't know what was going on and she assumed I was being a jerk or worse when I turned down your marriage proposal. I couldn't tell you what was going on let alone her, so I had to put up with her carping and her hate . . . of course, it pissed me off because I was trying to protect people from being murdered and Angela was getting in between you and me which was making our situation worse . . . when you said you'd trust me I was grateful that you were giving me a chance even if Angela wasn't, but what she did or didn't do wasn't that important to me. Personally, I didn't care if she ever stopped hating me because I was that mad at her . . . anyway, I'm getting away from the point of my story. Just because Angela and I were fighting didn't mean you had to give up your friendship with her. You love her and it wasn't fair to you if me being mad at her kept you two apart. I didn't want to get between you because she's your friend. I don't want you to lose that friendship because of me . . . Do you see? I didn't want to get between sisters and you two are sisters."

It seemed a complicated explanation, but Brennan appreciated the effort. Her husband had wanted her to be happy and that in turn made her want to make him happy. "Thank you. I can see why you wanted me to go to the party. It was a lot of fun . . . Perhaps Hodgins could host a bachelor party for you?"

He laughed. The idea of bug boy giving him a bachelor party was too macabre to be considered. "No thank you." He couldn't imagine what kind of party that would be and he didn't want to find out. "I don't need a party . . . I have everything I want. I have you and Christine and Parker. Life is sweet right now. I don't need a party to celebrate. Being with you is celebration enough."

"Aw." Her husband said such sweet things sometimes which proved to her just how lucky she was. Of course, she didn't believe in luck and she didn't know why that thought had actually crossed her mind. "You are so sweet, Booth."

"Thank you. I try."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	104. Chapter 104

(The Boneless Bride in the River)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Because she wouldn't go with him, he left. They always leave her. No one ever stays. It didn't matter that her job was important to her. It didn't matter that she didn't want to leave the only friends she had. It didn't matter that he was asking her to give up everything she valued and he would give up nothing that contained value to him. It didn't matter to him. She said she couldn't leave and he left. Everyone leaves and it will always be like that.

This was why she didn't believe in love. If love was real then wouldn't that love keep people from walking away from you? If love was real wouldn't parents try to keep their children with them and not abandon them? Wouldn't it keep someone you adored from handing you over to a faceless bureaucracy to raise instead of doing it yourself?

"Love is just a myth. It's just a mixture of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. The emotional experience we call love can easily be manufactured in a lab." Brennan had watched Sully sail away on his sail boat and that event confirmed to her that no one should ever trust love. It just led to heartache. "Did you know that those three chemicals can have dire effects if you overdose on them. Schizophrenia, extreme paranoia, insanity . . ."

"Bones . . . Bones." Booth hated that his partner was hurting. She was so determined to prove that what had happened was inevitable. It was like she was giving Sully a pass for his behavior and there was no excuse for what Sully had done as far as Booth was concerned. They were in the Diner eating a late breakfast. It had been all Booth could think of to comfort his partner. "Love isn't a myth. It's real, but some people don't know how to handle it. They think that love means that your partner should give up everything to be with you which is pretty damn selfish as far as I'm concerned." He didn't want to berate Sully in front of his partner because it could backfire. Until that morning, Booth was sure that Brennan was falling in love with Sully, but Sully's greed to have everything his way had destroyed Brennan's happiness and he would not forgive that. Not for a long time.

Brennan felt that Booth was too romantic for his own good. "Don't be foolish, Booth. My parents supposedly loved me and they abandoned me. My brother couldn't get rid me fast enough. Your father beat you . . ." She stopped herself. She had not meant to go that far and the look on her partner's face told her that she had crossed a line. "My father came back into my life for a brief moment, just long enough to make contact with me and Russ then whisked my brother away and left me behind again. Where's the love, Booth? Where is it?"

Her words had been like a slap to his face. Bringing up his father like that had hurt. He wanted to get up and leave, but he was a man, an adult and he wasn't going to let her unhappiness drag him down or make him unhappy. "I know love exits every time I look into the face of my son. He loves me for who I am, his Daddy and I love him very much. I would die for him Bones. I would do anything to protect him . . . My grandfather loved me so much, he took me away from my father and raised me as his son. That is where love is, Bones. That is love."

He pushed his plate of eggs and bacon over next to the window and leaned on the table. "We've all had bad experiences when it comes to the heart. It hurt when I asked Rebecca to marry me, but she didn't want to marry me for a reason. I was a gambler at the time and she didn't love me enough to put with that shit. I can see that now, but I didn't want to admit that I was the problem back then. I kept gambling even though I knew that I could lose someone that I thought I loved . . . The sad thing is, I didn't love her enough to give up gambling. I was in love with gambling and that love was stronger than my love for Rebecca. I couldn't give it up . . . I was selfish. I get that now. Sometimes, we're too selfish and we don't love someone enough. But hopefully we learn from our mistakes. Hopefully when we're given a second chance or even a third chance, we know that love can't be one sided. If you're really in love with someone you have to be able to give up something for that person."

She knew that Booth was trying to tell her that Sully was selfish, but she didn't think that was the problem at all. "Sully didn't love me Booth. He was infatuated with me and wanted me and his dream of being a tour guide in the islands. He had this dream of what a perfect life was and he didn't care that his perfect dream was nothing, but a boring nightmare to me."

"His dream?' Booth wanted to laugh. "Sully is never satisfied. He's had so many jobs in his life, it makes me wonder what he's looking for. At this moment, his dream is to be a boat captain in the islands. Tomorrow it might be a scuba diving instructor or to sell snowballs to tourists . . . Look he lost his partner last year and that made him willing to give up on the FBI, but if his partner hadn't died something else would have come along and pushed him to leave . . . I don't know if he loved you or not. Only Sully knows that, but if he was in love with you he didn't take it seriously enough to give up his dreams for you . . . If it had been real love honest love, he would have found a way to stay for you. Sometimes you have to give up something to get the one you love, but neither one of you were there. Someday, when you meet the right guy, maybe you'll love him enough to give up a little and he'll be willing to give up a little and you'll be together."

Brennan shook her head. "That won't happen because love isn't real."

For the moment he gave up. There was nothing he could say to ease her pain and that made him sad. He hated that Sully had treated her the way he had. Because of him, now she was so sure that anyone that came into her life in the future and claimed to love her will eventually leave her. He hoped that he could prove her wrong someday. For now, he would be her friend. "Hey, eat up and we'll go for a drive. I know this cool little park that has a little waterfall on a river and we can have lunch there. It's kind of quiet and peaceful. I drive up there some time when I have stuff I want to think about. What do you say?"

Why not? It's not like she had anything else to do that day. She could go to work, but it was Saturday and she'd be alone. She didn't want to be alone at the moment. "It sounds nice. Thank you."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	105. Chapter 105

(After season 6)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

So far, their relationship change had not been noticed by anyone accept Angela and she wasn't telling anyone. She was too afraid that something would happen to break the new couple apart. She hadn't even told Hodgins even though it was killing her to keep that particular secret from him. He was going to be so mad at her when he found out, but she was willing to face his anger. This was too important to her. She wanted Brennan to have what she wanted and she wanted Booth.

Booth and Brennan were learning what it meant to be in a personal relationship and they didn't want advice. They were capable of working out their own issues and didn't need anyone sticking in their two cents. What Booth worried about the most was Sweets finding out about their new relationship and trying to force them into couple's therapy. He'd listened to Sweets enough lately and it had caused him nothing but trouble. Brennan detested psychology and Booth wasn't too crazy about it either. He knew that once the Deputy Director found out about it there might be threats to separate him from his partner, but he thought he could stop that from happening. If at that time they were forced to see Sweets then they would capitulate, but not before they had to.

Not surprising at all, Brennan worried about losing her independence and Booth worried that she valued her independence more than him. Both were insecure, but tried to tamp down the worst of it. They really loved each other and wanted their relationship to work, but misunderstandings cropped up no matter how careful they were.

He had first noticed that the new Agent, Fred Dunmore seemed a little too interested in Brennan. The man had tried to make himself valuable, by bringing her coffee to crime scenes and offered to carry her kits even though she had made it plain she carried her own equipment.

Much to Booth's annoyance the Agent started asking Brennan out on dates and didn't seem inclined to stop when she declined. Since their relationship was still a secret, Booth didn't really see how he could warn the agent off and not give himself away. He hated to see Dunmore coming on to his girlfriend and he decided to try to be friendly about it at first. Of course, Brennan didn't want him to interfere since she could take care of herself which made Booth even more cautious.

"Hey Dunmore, Dr. Brennan has told you she isn't interested in you. What you're doing is verging on sexual harassment." Booth had asked the agent to come to his office so he could warn the agent in privacy. "She is the leading forensic anthropologist in this country and deserves respect. If you're going to work for me, you had best keep in mind that I expect all of my agents to be respectful with everyone they work with. The Medico-Legal Lab at the Jeffersonian is under contract to work with us and they have strict rules about sexual harassment."

"How is asking someone to go out on a date harassment?" Dunmore glared at his boss. "This country is going to hell in a handbasket. I'm asking her out, not trying to force myself on her."

Annoyed, Booth stood up and leaned on his desk. "She's turned you down twice that I know of. That should be enough. What's she supposed to do? Put out an ad that she isn't interested? Stop bugging her."

Dunmore studied Booth and saw the anger. He found that to be curious. "Are you interested in her? If that's what's going on then say so. I'm new around here . . . Look, I'm a good looking guy, but the chicks around here seem to think asking them out on dates is bothering them. What's a guy got to do to get chicks to be interested him?"

"There are rules about dating. Employees are not allowed to date at the FBI." Booth stood up straight and crossed his arms against his chest. "Find somewhere else to do your hunting, but leave the FBI employees and the Lab people alone."

Since he was new to the Hoover, he didn't really want to rock the boat, but he was lonely and he hated that. "We didn't enforce that rule in Memphis. As long as we kept it professional no one cared."

"This isn't Memphis. This is the Hoover. It's where the rules are made." Booth studied Dunmore more closely and saw a man who thought very well of himself. "What they do or don't do in Memphis has nothing to do with here. You'd better get that straight before you end up back in Memphis."

"Is that a threat?" The Agent was shocked. He'd never been under this kind of scrutiny before and he didn't like it. He felt he was a great investigator and he didn't like threats from anyone.

Booth nodded his head. "You better believe that's true." Sitting back down, Booth pointed towards the door. "Act professionally around here or you might not like what happens next."

Since he worked for Booth, he had no choice but to leave. Entering the break room to get some coffee, the Agent noticed Agent Burns scoping out the snack machine. "Hey Burns, I need to ask you a question . . . Is Booth and Dr. Brennan a couple? I've asked her out a couple of times and she's shot me down both times and now Booth has read me the riot act about asking her."

His candy selection forgotten, Charlie turned around and stared at the new agent as if he'd grown a second head since the last time he'd seen him. "First, it's against FBI rules to date co-workers. Second Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth are partners and friends. They've been working together for several years now and no one and I mean no one comes between those two. If you value your career here, I advise you to avoid Dr. Brennan and any of the female agents that work here. The Deputy Director runs a tight ship and he'll ship you off to Alaska to get rid of you if you mess up our system."

Annoyed, Dunmore shook his head. "They didn't care if employees dated in Memphis."

"This isn't Memphis." Charlie thought Dunmore wasn't listening to him. "Look, Booth and Brennan have the best solve rate on the Eastern Seaboard and probably the mid-west too. They've solved cases that seemed almost impossible to solve. The FBI values their partnership and if the Deputy Director finds out that you've been hitting on Dr. Brennan, he'll crush you like a bug. I'm serious. Back off while you still have a career."

He held up his hands defensively. "Ok, I get it . . . I knew it was going to be different at the Hoover, but you people are anal about a lot of shit. Still I can play the game."

"Good and this isn't a game." Charlie shook his head. "The Deputy Director has been here for about a year and he's ambitious. Everyone knows he wants to be Director someday. He knows who will get him that position and he knows how to step on people if they cause any grief around here. Booth and Brennan are his most valuable assets which means he will not allow anyone to interfere with their partnership."

"Alright. I said I get it." Dunmore shook his head. "You'd think they were gods or something."

Charlies sniggered. "Well, maybe not gods, but they are the rock stars of the FBI and they damn well know it."

Oooooooooooooooooo

As soon as Booth and Brennan let the FBI know they were a couple, Dunmore expected the shit to hit the fan. Everyone had warned him about fraternization and he'd been careful to find a girlfriend outside the bureau. Now that his boss had broken the rule he was looking forward to his boss' humiliation. Much to his disappointment nothing happened. "I don't get it. Booth and Dr. Brennan broke the rules." He was sitting in the bullpen glaring at Booth through his closed door.

Agent Brown laughed and shook her head. "You're pretty naïve if you think Booth and Brennan's partnership is in jeopardy. The higher ups found a way to ignore it and that's that. Those two are a great asset to this agency and there was no way anyone was going to break up that partnership. Officially, Dr. Brennan doesn't work for the FBI, she works for the Jeffersonian so no fraternization is taking place. If I were you, I'd mind my own business. That's what we all do around here. It's safer for our careers besides, most of us have been rooting for those two for years. It's about time they got together."

Agent Simmons laughed. "They've been a couple for at least four years now. They just weren't dating that's all. Get over it Dunmore. Booth is going to be running this place someday and it'd be better to be on his good side. He's a great guy and he knows what he's doing most of the time. He has a temper, but he mostly keeps it under control. As long as you do your job and improve your own solve rate you'll do fine here. Rock the boat and they'll ship you out."

Amused, Agent Custer laughed. "I wish Booth had got his head out of his ass sooner and started dating Dr. Brennan earlier. I've never seen him so calm and happy. That can only be good for us."

"Amen." Agent Brown smiled. "He actually brought two boxes of donuts for the break room this morning."

"Wow, I didn't know that." Charlie stood up and strode towards the break room. "Next time tell me when that happens."

Dunmore shook his head. "This is one messed up place. Rules are rules until they aren't rules."

Agent Brown shrugged her shoulders. "There's one rule around here that you'd better learn fast. Rules are rules as long as they serve a purpose. It doesn't serve a purpose to break up the best investigative team we've had in years. Breaking up that partnership would be stupid and no one around here is stupid."

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Just a little something I thought might be interesting.


	106. Chapter 106

(Season 10)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Officer Benson drove up to the storage unit located at Affordable Self Storage, parked near the man standing next to the unit and exited his car. "Sir are you Marvin Coleman?"

"I am." The short pudgy man was leaning against the side of the unit. "The door is open, help yourself."

Not sure what he was there for, the officer approached the unit, spotted the large plastic wrapped cooler in the center of the room and stopped. "Why exactly did you call the police?"

Amused, Marvin snorted. "It's pretty obvious what's in that box. This is a police matter. Now that you're here you open it and do what you're supposed to do."

His eyes glittering with hate, Officer Benson shook his head. "I'm just a patrolman. I'll get the proper authorities out here to take care of it."

Since he had done his civic duty, Marvin walked away. "You guys let me know when you're done."

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Detective Woodside waited patiently for Special Agent James Aubrey to park his SUV next to his car. Once the agent was out of his truck, the detective pointed at the opened storage unit. "It's in there."

"What's in there?" Aubrey had been told that a federal crime had been committed and that an agent was needed at a storage facility in Thurmont, Maryland. Not sure why the Thurmont Police Department was handing a call off to the FBI, Aubrey was a little suspicious.

His face unemotional, Woodside folded his arms against his chest. "We got a call from the owner of this place and when we checked into it we found evidence that a violent crime might have occurred. Now our city is a small one and we don't have the resources to handle something like this and we invited the FBI to take care of it. When I called the Baltimore office they sent out an agent, he took one look at it and said I should call the Hoover. You guys have a contract with a forensic anthropologist named Dr. Brennan and he said that she needed to take care of this."

Now in front of the opening, Aubrey stared at the plastic wrapped cooler, noticed it was probably a 150-quart ice chest and knew that he was not going to open it under any circumstances. "Shit, you have got to be kidding me?"

Woodside shook his head. "We rely on the FBI when it comes to cases like this. Thank you for your service by the way."

Not amused, Aubrey glared at the detective and growled. "Thanks." His response was dripping with sarcasm which seemed to amuse the detective. Pulling his phone from his jacket pocket, Aubrey called his supervisor.

 _Booth._

"Yeah, this is Aubrey. I'm in Thurmont and I have a case for Dr. Brennan." Aubrey saw the detective smile and he wanted to punch the guys smug face, but he knew it would ruin the cool image of the FBI and probably piss off Booth.

 _Are you sure?_

"God, yes I'm sure." He loved being an FBI agent, but Aubrey knew there were times when his job sucked. "You'll understand when you see it."

 _Fine. I'll let Cam and Bones know. We'll be there in about an hour and a half._

Oooooooooooooooooo

Impatient, Brennan pulled on some latex gloves and stared at the large red ice cooler. "Why am I here?"

Astonished, Booth gestured at the ice box. "Are you kidding me? Look at it. A large ice chest wrapped in plastic and duct tape sitting in the middle of a storage unit. It's obvious."

"Well, it's not obvious to me." Brennan sighed and glanced at Cam. "It is it obvious to you?"

Cam nodded her head. "Oh yeah." The coroner turned to face Hodgins. "Let us open it first. If it really is what I think it is then you'll be needed to collect particulates."

"It could be a bomb." Brennan studied the ice chest. "If it is a bomb, the bomber might have been hoping to kill as many policemen as possible, by setting this up to look suspicious."

He hated to admit it, but his wife might be right. "Cam, just for safety sake, let's call the bomb squad. Baltimore is a little closer, so I'll get them to send someone. Better safe than sorry."

Cam checked her watch. "If you want to waste your time, go ahead. Hodgins and I are going to get lunch. We'll be back in an hour."

"Right." Booth shook his head. "Aubrey, you can go pick up lunch for me and Bones and bring it back. Someone has to stay here and watch the box."

His stomach rumbling, Aubrey saluted Booth. "Will do . . . you don't really think that's a bomb, do you?"

Booth shook his head. "Nope, I know what it is and you know what it is, but there's a small chance Bones is right, so we'll play it safe."

Removing her gloves, Brennan walked over to the back of Booth's SUV and started to inventory her kit. She was certain that she knew what the ice chest held, but caution had forced her to point out the possibilities to her husband. Her children didn't deserve to become orphans because her parents had been too trusting.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

The bomb tech cautiously cut the tape and plastic from the lid of the cooler. Once that was accomplished checked his meter to see if there were any signals coming from the box. The inactivity was a good sign and the tech was now dreading opening the box. Swallowing twice, he placed his gloved hands on the lid, said a prayer to St. Michael and hoped it wasn't as awful as he expected it to be,

As soon as the lid was cracked the putrid smell wafted over the tech and the stench made him gag. Angry that he had to expose himself to the contents, he flipped the lid over and fell back to the concrete floor. The sight of the putrid body was overwhelming and he scrambled out of the unit. "It's not a bomb." Hurriedly removing his protective head covering, he leaned over and vomited. "My God, that's bad."

The rancid smell from the cooler now filled the storage unit and the alley where the FBI agents and the Jeffersonian scientists were standing. Detective Woodside had wisely retreated to his car and ran his air conditioner. He had known what was coming.

"Oh my God." Booth grabbed a handkerchief from his pants pocket and slapped it over his nose and mouth. "I'm pretty sure it isn't a bomb, Bones."

The ripe odor of decaying flesh was all Brennan needed to know that she had been wrong. "Yes, I see that. It isn't very clever to rent a storage unit and leave a body in it. Surely the perpetrator expects to be caught."

"No kidding." Booth refused to enter the unit. His stomach was rumbling and he now regretted eating that cheeseburger and fries for lunch. "Aubrey, you can assist Dr. Brennan and Cam."

Startled, Aubrey stared at the cooler and swallowed convulsively. "I don't think I should get in their way. I'll just take notes from here." The hotdogs with extra onions and cheese that he had eaten earlier were threatening to come up.

Cam agreed. "I'd rather he stayed out here. If he throws up in the unit he'll contaminate the crime scene."

"I don't want my crime scene contaminated." Brennan abhorred it when her crime scenes were mismanaged. "Aubrey may stand inside the doorway and take notes from there." She didn't comment on the fact that Booth wasn't going in either. He was the supervisor and he was delegating like all good managers do.

Swallowing, Aubrey removed his notebook from his jacket pocket, moved to stand inside the unit and prayed he didn't embarrass himself. He was the new guy and he wanted to make a good impression. "Okay, Dr. B. cause of death?"

Cam snorted. "It's a box of human soup, Aubrey. We're going to have to take it back to the Lab to determine cause of death."

"I agree." Brennan studied the contents of the box. "This reminds me of the body we found wrapped in plastic on the beach two years ago. The gasses from the decomposing body caused the plastic to expand and the heat coupled with the bacteria and lipids combined to create a catalyst which hardened the plastic into a pod container. It was a fascinating case. Hodgins enjoyed it. This cooler being wrapped in plastic and stored in a hot storage unit accomplished the same thing causing the body to melt into a gelatinous stew."

"Yummy." Aubrey didn't appreciate human remains being compared to stew or anything else he happened to like to eat. "So, we'll just take it to the Lab and you can do your thing there." He was so glad that he wasn't going to have to witness the autopsy of a soupy body. "So, you've seen goopy bodies before?" He glanced at Booth who was watching Brennan and Cam leaning over the putrid box.

Booth pursed his lips and nodded his head. "Ha, we've seen everything that you can do to a body and soup bodies aren't that rare. You should have seen the body that looked like chili."

Alarmed, Aubrey shook his head. "Don't do that. You'll ruin chili for me."

Amused, Booth smirked at the younger agent. "We had to deal with a cannibal once. He gnawed on human bones like they were turkey legs."

"Oh my God." Aubrey shook his head.

Feeling sorry for Aubrey, Hodgins patted the agent's shoulder as he walked past him towards the Jeffersonian van. "Don't worry about it. You'll get used to it."

"I hope not." Aubrey never wanted to get used to disgusting bodies.

Booth was growing bored. "Bones, let's get this cooler back to the Lab. It's getting hotter and it's going to just make this worse." He checked his weather app on his phone. "86 degrees."

"I think the body has cooked as much as it's going to Booth." Hodgins came back with a gurney and moved it into the building with a young intern following closely behind him. "I think the body has been here for quite a while."

Letting Hodgins and the intern handle the cooler, Cam and Brennan moved back into the alley. As they watched the cooler being lifted onto the gurney, Brennan smiled. "I am looking forward to examining the remains. Perhaps I can work this into my new novel."

"There you go." Booth smiled at his wife. "You always put a positive light on everything."

Amused Cam shook her head and walked over to the Jeffersonian van. The man had been married for over a year and he still behaved like a newlywed. She was happy for Booth and Brennan. Things could have turned out so badly if Durant had accomplished his attack on Booth and her friend had died or if Brennan hadn't found a way to get him out of prison. She hoped Durant rotted in hell, the bastard.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	107. Chapter 107

(After 'The Recluse in the Recliner')

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooo

As she pulled into the driveway next to her house, Brennan noticed the yellow and black crime scene tape gleaming in the morning sun. It was stretched across the front door and the blown-out picture window. Parking her car, she rested her forehead on the steering wheel and tried to calm her racing heart. The damage to the house had not been as stark in the dark of the night as it was with the power of the sun illuminating it.

Angela had wanted to come with her, but she had refused her help. Brennan needed to see the house by herself and she didn't want any witnesses to her emotional distress. Her husband was in the hospital under arrest for the murder of three FBI Agents. The situation was macabre and she felt like her world had come crashing to an abrupt stop.

Calmer, she stepped out of her car and made her way to the front door. A police offer was standing in the doorway, but he had been warned by his supervisor that the home owner was going to make an appearance and he tried to be courteous even if the woman's husband was probably murdering scum.

Once Brennan was inside the house, she sneezed. The dust in the air was thick and the damage in the living room was horrendous. The bookshelves were damaged and some of her antiquities were scattered on the floor, some of them broken and possibly beyond repair. The picture window was gone, shattered glass lying on the dirty carpet as well as outside below the window. The furniture was heavily damaged and she would not be able to use them again.

As she moved further into the room, she looked up towards the top of the staircase and saw it was extensively damaged. Whoever went upstairs to remove valuables would have to be very careful not to fall to the hallway below. She wasn't sure she could ask her friends to help. It might be too dangerous and she would not risk their health for things.

Her eyes drifted over to where Booth had laid while they had waited for an ambulance to arrive. The carpet was dark and tacky and she knew that it was covered in her husband's blood. Swallowing hard, she jerked her head around and stared at the kitchen. For the moment, she couldn't bear to go into that room. It had been the center of their happiness second only to their bedroom and she didn't want to see the destruction at that moment. The formal dining room was destroyed and the dining room table was no longer functional. The chairs were all on their sides and most of them were also beyond repair.

Anyone looking at the heavy damage could see that a battle had been fought in this house. Booth had done everything he could to save his own life and he had used the house to help him survive. Her husband was a U.S. Ranger, a warrior and he had fought as hard as he could.

A tear rolling down her cheek, she walked over to where her husband had almost died and sank to her knees. The bloody carpet was testimony to the price Booth had paid to fight his last battle. She still didn't know if her husband was going to survive his injuries. She wasn't being allowed to see him and she was waiting for her lawyer to get a judge to sign off on a visit. The FBI was doing everything in their power to keep her husband sequestered which raised alarm bells in almost everyone that considered Booth a friend. Powerful forces were working against him and it was her duty to help him.

In the mean-time, here she was in the ruins of her home. She had never thought she would have a home or a family, but life is full of unexpected surprises and Booth had given her those things. He was the love of her life. She hadn't believed in love for such a long time, but he had broken down her impervious barriers and she had come to realize that love really did exist. Of course, nothing is ever easy and they had both gone through some trials before they got together, but they were a couple, a married couple and she would fight to make sure her husband was returned to her. He belonged to her and no one was going to take him from her.

The tears started to fall faster as she stared at the bloody carpet. Booth was a brave man who had been attacked in his own home. The FBI had betrayed him and Brennan was certain she would never trust them again. While investigating a possible serial killer, they had stumbled upon a nefarious conspiracy and she was still trying to figure out what the conspiracy was. They had figured out that Booth was in danger when Congressman Hadley had betrayed him at the hearing talking about classified information and they were still unsure how that had happened. Booth had prepared for the worse and he had been right to do so.

Now she and her friends would have to continue to investigate and find out what exactly it was that they had stumbled upon. So far, it looked like there was a plot to take over parts of the government, but they didn't know by who or why. Everyone at the Lab had decided that no one could be trusted outside their group and their number one priority was to prove that Booth had been framed.

Her tears continuing to flow, she knew that Booth was hurt, fighting for his life and she had to continue the battle for him. It wouldn't be the physical battle her husband had fought, but it would be a battle none the less.

"Ma'am are you alright?" The officer was standing in the doorway staring at her. He hadn't heard any noise coming from the house and had worried that the visitor could have been hurt in the heavily damaged house.

"No, I'm not alright." Brennan wiped her hands across her face, removing the tears. "My husband was attacked in our home and almost killed. The FBI is lying about what happened and I will prove it . . . I will prove it."

He knew who Brennan was as well as her husband. The young officer had been assured that Booth was a traitor, but seeing Brennan sitting on the floor near an area of bloody carpet, he started to have his doubts. He knew that Booth was the head of major crimes in the FBI and everything he had been told seemed bizarre and troublesome. "Yes ma'am." He didn't know what else to say.

With dignity, Brennan stood up. "I have permission to recover what I can. I'm going to do an inventory of everything that is intact and I will make arrangements to have them placed into storage. This is no longer our home and we will not come back here once I have removed our valuables."

"No ma'am." The police officer felt sorry for her, but he admired her too. She appeared to be a strong woman. She'd have to be. If her husband really was a murderer then she had a hard path to follow in the future. If he was innocent, then they would have to work hard to rebuild their lives.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	108. Chapter 108

(After 'The Change in the Game')

Thank you for your continued interest in my stories. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Careful to make sure his tie was straight, he smoothed it down his chest with his right hand before he pulled his jacket on. His suit the best one he owned, Booth nodded his head and then frowned at his image in the full length mirror. He wished he'd stopped and got a haircut the previous evening, but he had wanted to help Brennan move some of her books over to his apartment since she needed them for research for her new novel and some magazine article she was writing for some old bones magazine. Now it was too late. _Oh well, it's not like a haircut is going to save the situation if it goes bad._

Amused, Brennan stood in the doorway and noticed the almost compulsive hand movements Booth was making through his hair. "I'm sure your hair looks fine."

A faint blush on his cheeks, Booth turned and flashed her a smile. "I need a haircut . . . I don't want this to go wrong." His smile was gone. "I just want this to be okay."

She moved into the room and placed her hands on his lower arms. "No matter what they decide, we are still partners . . . I would miss working with you, but I will still see you every night."

He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her closer. "You're damn right. If those jackasses break up our partnership, then they'll only have themselves to blame when the solve rate in Homicide drops. I'll still do my job, but without my partner there are going to be cases that I can't solve."

"I thought you were going to follow the letter of your job description if they break up our partnership." Brennan would rather he didn't give up investigating murders since he was so good at it, but she would back whatever option he chose.

"Yeah, I will, but sometimes I'll have to go in the field for the tougher cases." Booth kissed her. "I think we're putting the cart before the horse. Let's see what the higher-ups say then I'll make my decision."

Brennan returned his kiss. "Yes, perhaps they will not cut off their proboscis to wound their countenance."

Puzzled, Booth stared at Brennan and decided that whatever she had said was probably witty, but too witty for him. Either that or she had butchered a popular saying again. "Yeah." He kissed her instead of asking her to explain what she had said. "I have to go. I'll call you when I hear the verdict." Anxiously, he kissed her once more then released her. "I love you, Bones. We're going to be okay."

"I know we will." Brennan was worried too, but she wanted to imbue her partner with confidence. Once he was gone and she had the apartment to herself, she sat down on the bed and stared at the slight bump in her stomach. "We're fine." She felt foolish talking to a fetus, but her boyfriend did it all of the time and it couldn't actually hurt anything especially since there was no one there to see or hear her. "Booth and I will be fine and so will you."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Early for his appointment, Booth paced around the office, annoying the Assistant Deputy Director's assistant. "Would you like some coffee, Agent Booth?" Not that she thought he needed a stimulate, but she hoped if he held a cup of hot coffee in his hand it would make him less fidgety.

"No thank you, Alice." Booth sat down and crossed his legs. He knew he was bothering Hacker's assistant, but he didn't know how to calm down. His foot bobbing up and down, his ankle resting on his knee, Booth pulled out his poker chip and rolled it through his fingers.

The phone rang and Booth became still while Alice answered the phone. The call was quick and Alice pointed at the door leading into Hacker's office. "He's ready to see you."

Nervously, Booth stood up, slipped the poker chip in his jacket pocket and marched over to the door. Licking his bottom lip, he opened the door and entered the room. "Thank you for seeing me."

Pleased to see his favorite agent, Hacker waved Booth over to the chair in front of his desk. "Come in. So, are you here to talk to me about the Evans Case? You got him, right?"

Booth sat down and leaned forward. "No. Actually I'm here to tell you about a change in my partnership. Bones and I are . . ."

"Whoa!" Hacker shook his head. "I thought this was about the Evans case. I really am busy Booth, so if this is about something personal then I'm going to have to ask you to make an appointment for that . . . Maybe next week."

"But it will only take a minute to tell you . . ." Booth thought Hacker was being an ass, but he needed the man to listen to him.

Hacker shook his head and held up his hand. "Really Booth. I have to prepare for a meeting with the Director and I only met with you because I thought you had good news about the Evans Case." The Assistant Deputy Director was desperate for Booth to stop talking. "Now if that is still an ongoing case then I'm going to have to ask you to leave and continue to investigate. This meeting is cancelled."

"But . . . " Booth was surprised when his Boss abruptly stood up and waved him towards the door. Not sure what Hacker was up to, he stood up and left the office. Once in the hallway, he called Brennan. "Hey, Hacker threw me out of his office when I tried to tell him about us. He wouldn't listen to me . . . He's such an ass."

 _When you say threw out, you don't mean you were fired do you?_

"No. He said he has a meeting he has to prepare for with the Director and he asked me to leave. I'm not fired." Booth glared at a tech who was trying to listen to his conversation. The man realized he had been caught and slinked down the hallway. "I'm going to approach the Deputy Director in a few minutes."

 _Alright. Let me know what he says._

"I will." The call ended, Booth moved down the hallway and entered the outer office of the Deputy Director. "Connie, can I see the Boss?"

Cullen's assistant placed her phone down on the desk and shook her head. "I'm sorry Agent Booth. The Deputy Director is preparing to meet with the Director for a very important meeting. Perhaps you can wait until next week. He may have a time opening for a meeting then."

Frustrated, Booth shook his head. "A week? Since when does it take me a week to get to see the Boss?"

Connie shrugged her shoulders. "He is a very busy man, Agent Booth. Call me and I'll see if I can schedule you an appointment."

As calmly as he could, Booth turned on his heels and left the office. Marching down to his office, anyone that came upon the angry Agent either slipped into an office or turned around and fled the area. No one wanted to deal with an angry Booth. It just wasn't the wise thing to do.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Frustrated, Booth sat at his desk and glowered at the agents sitting outside his office. Gradually the bull pen emptied as each agent realized that he was the focus of their boss. Whatever he was angry about, no one was going to stick around and find out what it was.

Once the office was empty and there was no one left to glare at, Booth turned to face his PC. As usual, he had more emails than he cared to answer. As he moved down the page, he checked the From list and found he had an email from the Director of the FBI. Since those were few and far between, he opened it.

 _Booth,_

 _Please refrain from seeing your supervisors about your personal problems. We are well aware of what is going on between your partner and you. I need to remind you about the non-fraternization rule at the FBI and the fact that that rule is there for a reason._

 _I am ordering you to refrain from telling anyone about your personal affairs. We aren't interested. Think of it as 'Don't ask Don't tell'. I hope I am clear._

 _As long as you maintain a professional relationship between you and Dr. Brennan while you are working together, then your supervisor will not need to be involved in your personal life._

 _Director Darouse_

Shocked, Booth reread the email three times and then once more just to make sure. "Well, I'll be damned." Here he had been worrying about his partnership and the higherups had already taken care of the problem. Pleased, he made a phone call.

 _Brennan._

"Hey, I just called to let you know our partnership is safe." Booth was happy and he wanted to spread that happiness around. "I got an email from the Director. They know about us and they don't care. We just have to be professional at work. He's implementing a 'Don't ask, Don't tell policy."

 _I don't know what that means._

"It means Bones, as long as we don't mention our relationship to anyone higher up in the food chain then they'll leave our partnership alone."

 _So, in this case, truth is something which depends upon a person's perspective and experience. They don't wish to have our relationship confirmed therefore our relationship hasn't changed and therefore we are not breaking any FBI rules when it comes to personal relationships._

"Um, yeah sure . . . So, don't talk about our relationship with anyone. Just assume everyone knows and that's that." Booth was relieved, He had been worried for weeks that he was going to lose his partnership with Brennan and now he could relax. "I think we should celebrate, Bones. Let's go out tonight. Maybe a little dancing, some fine dining . . . How about it?"

 _I think that is a fine idea, Booth and if we meet anyone we know from the Hoover we will act like ourselves and they can assume what they want. That could be very entertaining._

"Yeah, entertaining." Booth smiled. Sometimes Brennan's sense of humor just made him laugh.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	109. Chapter 109

(Season 7)

Warning, this chapter is rated T.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

After Brennan gave birth to their daughter, Booth seemed to increase his romantic gestures towards her. Sometimes she'd find a small gift-wrapped box sitting on her desk at work or under her pillow on their bed at home. They weren't extravagant gifts by any stretch of the imagination, but they told her that her partner was thinking of her and he had thought she might be interested in the gift. The presents had ranged from a small bottle of perfume, a bottle of Scotch, a book on Navajo pottery, a tiny porcelain puppy, a book "The Mound Builders of Ancient North America" to her favorite gift, a Bakelite necklace he had found in an antique store. According to the note placed in the box, the light blue beads matched her eyes and Booth thought she'd like it.

He had made romantic gestures before Christine was born, but he seemed determined to outdo himself now that their baby was in their lives and that made her worry. She had never been a romantic person. She missed a lot of social cues when she interacted with people she didn't know, but her record wasn't much better with people she did know. It took years of working with Booth to understand his body language and to be able to read him, but even now she knew she missed things.

She was worried about why he was being so romantic. Was he trying to over compensate for something? What that could be she didn't know since he was usually upfront about what he was thinking. He did have a sneaky side to him, but she was used to that too. He claimed she was also sneaky, so she supposed that was common amongst couples and friends. Still, his attentiveness was a little exuberant and she wondered why.

"Booth is buying me small gifts." Brennan stared at her friend over her coffee cup. They were taking a coffee break in the upstairs break room and Angela seemed to be the right person to confide in. "They aren't expensive gifts, but he is being extravagant in his attention towards me."

Intrigued, Angela placed her coffee cup down on the table and leaned forward. "What kind of gifts? Sexy underwear? Role playing costumes?"

"No, nothing like that . . . a couple of books, a bottle of perfume, a necklace . . . they are nice gifts, but I wonder why he is giving them to me. Do you think it's possible he is losing interest in me since I haven't been able to regain my former figure? My breasts are bigger and so are my hips."

Amused, Angela laughed. "Ha! I doubt that. He loves you, Brennan he's just showing you that he does, that's all. You know he's nuts about you and Christine and he wants you to see that . . . He's just a romantic kind of a guy like Hodgins. After Michael Vincent was born, Jack bought me a lot of presents too. His was a little more expensive, but he is worth a lot more money than Booth is. I think it must be a guy thing or maybe it's just what romantic guys do. I thought it was very nice especially since it was unexpected."

"I'm not romantic." There, she had said it. Her biggest worry about her relationship was that she didn't show Booth just what he meant to her. "I don't know how to be romantic and I think Booth might get tired of that someday."

"Oh Honey, Booth is not going to get tired of you." Angela placed her hand over her friend's hand. "He knows who you are and he doesn't care about stuff like that." She saw that she hadn't helped Brennan and her mind raced with ideas. "Look, why don't you do something romantic for Booth. I'll help you."

Uncertain, Brennan stared at her friend. "I don't know . . . if I were to do that, I'd like to try to do it by myself. It would be cheating if you helped me. The romantic gesture would be misleading if the gesture didn't come from me.."

She patted Brennan's hand. "Yeah, that's true. Why don't you think about it? I'm sure you can think of something. All those chick flicks we used to watch together before you became friendly with Booth . . . I'm sure something in those movies seemed romantic to you. Just think about it and you'll be alright. He'll love anything you think of, believe me."

"Yes, I could use something from one of those movies . . . you know most of those movies were maudlin." She didn't notice the annoyed look on her friend's face. "I much prefer the movies that Booth likes to watch. At least the story line in those movies have a plot."

"Um, well to each his own." Angela sighed. Brennan wasn't very girly, but she was a mature woman who knew what she liked and what was wrong with that? "You did like 'You've Got Mail'.

Brennan nodded her head. "Yes, that was interesting. It's a remake of 'The Shop Around the Corner'. My mother loved old movies and we used to watch them on television before she abandoned me."

Angela flinched. That had come out of left field, but she knew that her friend was still bitter that her parents had abandoned her to Foster Care. "You miss your mother since you had Christine . . . I never knew my mother, but I do think of what might have been if she hadn't died having me. When Michael Vincent was born I so wanted her to be there to hold my baby . . . well, we have to live the life we were given. You have Booth and Max and I have Jack and Dad . . . we aren't completely alone and of course we have our beautiful babies."

"Yes, they are beautiful children." Brennan had studied her baby and knew that it was too early to tell who she would favor, but she felt that her child seemed to be a mix of both her and Booth. Only time would tell her if that was true. "I'll try to think of something romantic to do for Booth. He deserves for me to at least make a gesture."

"Good for you." Angela released her friend's hand and sipped her cooling coffee. "Take pictures."

Feeling a little annoyed at the thought of her friend asking her to invade Booth's privacy, Brennan shook her head. "No Angela."

"Spoil sport."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Brennan planned out her romantic moment as she would one of her novels. She outlined what she hoped would happen, did some research and felt confident that she had chosen the right plan. She would pick a weekend and arrange for Christine to stay with Angela and Hodgins until Sunday afternoon. She wanted an uninterrupted Saturday with her lover and she hoped it played out like she planned it.

On her chosen Saturday, Booth volunteered to do the shopping while Brennan did the laundry. They usually traded off those jobs and Booth looked forward to the shopping trip. When Brennan did the shopping, she came back with 'healthy' food and Booth knew that meant no Oreos or chips and salsa. He made sure to buy at least two weeks worth of 'junk' food to tide him over for the healthy food invasion. He loved Brennan, but her constant campaign to get him to eat healthier was a pain in the ass.

Shopping complete, he swung by a Baskin Robbins and bought a quart of chocolate almond ice cream and quart of coconut ice cream. While he was at it, he bought a scoop of Pralines 'n Cream on a waffle cone. He really loved ice cream and since Brennan loved it too, at least he didn't have to be deprived of the cold confection.

Once he was home, he unloaded the bags into the kitchen and placed everything where it belonged. Brennan liked an orderly cabinet and she had a system that she had written on pages taped to the inside of each cabinet door. When they had moved into the house, Booth had discovered that Brennan was serious about her system, so to keep the peace he had gone along with it. He knew she meant well and she couldn't help it if she found chaos to be disturbing. It was just a Brennan thing.

After he accomplished his mission, he searched the house for Brennan and found signs of her in their bedroom. The lights were off in the room and there were lit candles resting on the dressers. Surprised, he found a note he could barely read in the dim light laying on the bed. "I'm waiting for you in the bathroom."

Wary of what was going on and yet a little excited, he opened the bathroom door and found it too was dimly lit and illuminated with lit candles bordering the large bathtub and on the sink. A gentle splash and Booth's eyes were drawn to a naked Brennan sitting in the tub. "Um, this is nice . . . do you want company?"

She nodded her head and leaned back against the tub. "Of course . . . you will have to divest yourself of your clothing first." She laughed. The thought of Booth entering the tub in his clothes somehow seemed funny.

His eyes twinkling, Booth removed his shoes and then his clothes. He didn't know what had got into Brennan, but he liked it. He liked it very much. "Where's Christine?"

Brennan turned to face Booth. Her eyes raking over her lover's well-formed body. "She is at Angela's house. We don't have to go and get her until tomorrow afternoon."

Moving over to the bathtub, Booth motioned his lover to move forward and slipped into the tub behind her. Once he was in the warm water, he pulled her against his body. "This is an interesting way to spend Saturday . . . It's romantic Bones. I like it."

As she snuggled against his chest, Brennan placed her hands on his thighs. "I'm glad you think so . . . I know I'm not very romantic Booth . . . I hope I'm doing this right."

His moved his hands so they cupped her breasts and leaned over to kiss her neck. "Um, seems right to me . . . very romantic Bones." As he kissed her neck he heard her sigh. "Hey, there is no right or wrong way to be romantic. You do what comes naturally to you and it will be fine . . . okay?"

"Yes, I think so." She loved the feel of his hands on her body. She felt so loved and she knew that he would enjoy what was to come next. "I have planned out what I think we should do this afternoon and I thought sex in the tub would be a good starting place."

He moved his hand down her sides towards her legs. "You're brilliant, Bones. Just brilliant . . . and romantic." He knew she was trying to show him how romantic she could be and he appreciated the effort. He didn't know what had triggered this, but he wasn't going to question it. No indeed.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

I hope you liked it. Just a touch of light porn, but I'm sure no one minded.


	110. Chapter 110

(The Corpse in the Canopy)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooo

The tears on his cheeks glistened in the light streaming through the glass ceiling. It had been a long afternoon and now that it was done, his life was forever altered. He had awakened that morning a very wealthy man and by nightfall he had joined the middle class. It had been unexpected and the shock was still moving through him in emotional waves.

Pelant had drained all of his personal and corporate accounts and no one knew where the money was. Hodgins had been forced to choose between saving his money and saving the girls who Pelant had targeted with a drone. There had been no question that he would save those girls and now he was left with the knowledge that evil had won that day. Pelant had not killed those children because Angela was able to stop the drone, but he had stolen a fortune and that kind of money in the hands of evil was something that they all needed to worry about.

"Are you sad because you lost your money?" Brennan had come to the break room for some coffee and had seen her friend sitting on the couch. His shoulders were slumped and shaking and the bend in his neck told her that he was in mourning.

Wiping his hands across his cheeks, Hodgins shook his head as he turned to look at his friend. "I'm not sad I lost my money, but I am sad because Pelant used me. He was going to kill innocent children and he wanted me to choose between their innocent lives and my wealth. He could have taken the money without doing that, but he wanted me to make a life or death decision. If I had chosen to save my money those young girls would have died and that stain would have darkened my soul forever. He wanted me to be as evil as he is, but that wasn't going to happen. My parents taught me to revere life. Money is great, but it's a tool and not worth a single life. Pelant is evil, Dr. B. I know you don't believe in evil, but I'm telling you that it exists. We saw that evil today."

She filled a cup with coffee and walked over to the couch. Sitting down next to her friend, Brennan debated about how she should respond. "Yes, he wanted to see how you would behave under extreme circumstances. He performed an experiment on you and it did not fail as far as I can tell. There were only two possible outcomes and I don't think he really cared which one you chose. Either you would save your wealth or you would save the girls. It was a cold-blooded experiment and he obviously took immense pride in that experiment . . . He thought as a man born to great wealth that you would be tempted to save your wealth, but he was wrong. You are a man filled with compassion and you did not hesitate to save those children. I have never seen you use your fortune in an egregious manner and I knew that you would not do so today. I am honored to be your friend."

"Thanks Dr. B." Hodgins was starting to feel a little better. Brennan might claim that she was incapable of understanding the human condition, but he knew that she was wrong. She had a big heart and she felt compassion for those she loved. He considered her to be a great friend and he would always be grateful that he had joined the Lab when the position of entomologist had opened up at the Medico-Legal Lab. He had been an angry young man at the time, but that anger had slowly melted away over the years surrounded by friends he had grown to love as part of his family. "I've been thinking about it since it happened. I was very wealthy and now I'm something else. I'm not poor. I have a great job. My house is paid for. Angela has a great paying job . . . we're middle class I suppose if you have to label us, so it's not as bad as it could be . . . but that money sure made my life easy. I could go where I wanted. I didn't have to worry about bills . . . I'll never be that guy again."

"That guy?" Brennan sipped some coffee. "I don't know what that means.

"That guy . . . the guy that can go to Paris if and when his wife wants to go. The guy that can give a million dollars to charity and not miss it. The guy who helped fund the Medico-Legal Lab . . . That's done. We're all going to have to tighten our budgets around here. No new equipment just because I want it . . . it's going to be tough not being that guy, but well, it's okay. I still have Angela and Michael Vincent. I have my friends . . . It's a good thing I never hung out too much with my rich peers . . . now that I'm not rich anymore I'm pretty sure those people I do know that have money will now forget my name." He laughed. "That might turn out to be a good thing. Maybe now they'll quit begging me for money for their pet projects and fund them by themselves."

Brennan had not been born to wealth and only found herself a millionaire when she had started her successful writing career. She knew about people begging for money for charities, but she had set up several charities and she didn't contribute to other charities unless she had thoroughly researched them. People with a lot of money, tended to underestimate her and thought they could manipulate her to gain acceptance in their social strata. What they didn't understand was that she didn't want to belong to their clique. "Having a lot of money can give you a very comfortable life. I know that it has allowed me to travel first class and to buy a new car when I wish to. Still, money doesn't really define who you are if you don't want it to. You will not suffer now that your wealth is gone. You have lived in a modest house for a while now. Michael Vincent goes to a private school that you should still be able to afford. You will need to learn how to budget your finances. I can help you learn about budgeting if you wish. It isn't that hard. You must not spend more than you make."

"That sucks that I can't afford to travel first class anymore, but I don't really travel that much anymore. My job keeps me here and Angela too, although I know she'd move to Paris in a heart beat if I told her I was ready." He sighed. "Damn it was so much money."

She could see he was in a better mood. "I must go. I have to finish a few reports before I can leave this evening. Booth is cooking dinner this evening, so I have no idea what I will be dining on." She stood up. "I am proud of what you did today, Jack. I wanted you to know that."

"Thanks, Dr. B." Jack was filled with pride. "It was never a question about what I would do. It was just money."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	111. Chapter 111

(Season 10)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

He had been in prison when his grandfather had died. Unable to say good-bye to the man he considered his real father at his funeral, Booth had mourned his passing in private. He had attended a chapel service in prison and he had asked Father Garcia to pray for Hank Booth and the good father had promised he would. The Father has assured him that Pops had moved onto a much better place and he wanted to believe that.

Once Booth was released from prison and the race to solve the case that had propelled him there had been completed he had found his way to the cemetery in Philadelphia where his grandfather had been buried next to his wife. The spot was lovely and the grave stones were shaded by a large oak tree. Brennan had stood by his side while he had knelt before the graves and cried. His ties with the good part of his childhood were gone and he'd never forgive Durant for keeping him away from Pops' side in his last moments.

Over the weeks, he had tried to move on and for the most part he had, but occasionally, his daughter would bring up his something his grandfather had done or said while Booth was in prison and it felt like a blow to his body. Hank had started to decline when his grandson had been imprisoned and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Brennan had wanted the old man to stay with her, but her house had been destroyed and living in a hotel room would not have been comfortable for someone so frail. She had tried to expedite the purchase of a house, but Hank had died before she could do that and she had mourned the fact that her grandfather-in-law had not been with his family in his last days. Booth knew that she had tried to do right by his grandfather, but circumstances had prevented her from making it possible. He would always be grateful that she had made sure his last days were comfortable and had made sure Christine had seen her great-grandfather several times before he was gone.

Standing in front of his grandfather's grave, Booth rubbed his eyes as tears leaked from the corners. He had awakened that morning with the urge to be near his grandparents. He had slipped out of bed, dressed and left a note for Brennan letting her know where he was.

Once he was at the gravesite, he had placed flowers in front of each of his grandparent's stones and had prayed. Feeling sad, he had blown his nose on a handkerchief and tried to control his emotions. He had to accept the reality of the situation. They were gone and he would not see them again until his final day on Earth was done.

"Too much grieving will disturb the dead." She had stood near the tree and watched Agent Booth grieving and she felt sad for him.

Startled, Booth wiped his hands against his eyes and turned to face Avalon. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm not sure how to answer that question." Avalon sighed. "If I tell you the truth you won't believe me."

Angry, Booth tried to control his temper. "I don't need your mumbo jumbo today, Avalon. I'm here paying respects to my grandparents. Even you have to understand that."

Not insulted, Avalon nodded her head. She understood the man before her. She knew he was a spiritual man, but there were limits in what he was willing to believe. "I was sitting at home last night, reading a book when I got a message that told me that I needed to be here today at this time."

"Bullshit." Booth wasn't interested in Avalon's trickery. "I didn't decide to come here until this morning."

"Exactly." Avalon shook her finger at the agent. "Hank told me that you're blaming yourself for not being by his side when he died and he wants you to stop that. Dr. Brennan had seen him just a few hours before he passed away and he was comfortable when he left this plane of existence. He was tired and wanted to leave. Hank wants you to stop blaming yourself for him leaving because this had nothing to do with you. He had lived a long life and he wanted to have some peace. He needed peace Agent Booth."

He couldn't help it. She was there talking about Hank and he needed to understand. "But I probably made him want to leave. I was in prison for murder and . . . "

"Stop! Just stop Agent Booth." Avalon was angry. The man before her had taken on burdens that weren't his. "Your grandfather was old and he was tired. Your being in prison had nothing to do with Hank wanting peace. He wanted to be with Marie. He wanted to be with the woman he loved. He had lived without her for a long time and he had found companionship to help with the loneliness, but as he got older he realized that he had been happiest with her. He wanted to be with his wife, Agent Booth . . . He says he probably should have tried to stay until you were released from prison, but he was so tired and he wasn't sure how long it would take Brennan to get you out . . . he loved you so much. He knew that his grand-daughter-in-law would save you and he knew that you would be alright. Hank understood that he had raised a strong and compassionate man. You made him so proud . . . He had always wanted what was best for you, but he just couldn't stay and he's sorry. If he had it to do over again he would have waited since you're taking his death so badly, but he can't undo what has been done. He wants you to be happy. He wants you to live your life and once that life is done, he will meet you on the other side . . . Do you understand?"

Slowly nodding his head, Booth glanced at the grave stone with Hanks' name chiseled on it. "Yes, I do . . . He saved my life. He saved my life and the life of my brother. Our father was . . . he wasn't a good man and Pops . . . Pops did what he could for us. If he hadn't taken me from my father . . ." He didn't say anything else. He didn't really know Avalon and he wasn't sure why he was saying such things to her.

"You would have killed yourself." Avalon sighed. "Child abuse is so horrifying. A parent should love their child, but not all parents are fit to have children . . . I'm glad you had someone like Hank to take you and your brother in. You made him happy and he loved you so much."

A tear escaped and slid unnoticed down Booth's cheek. "He was a great man."

"He was." Avalon agreed. She admired Hank Booth and his compassion. "Your grandfather wants you to stop beating yourself up about not seeing him before he died. He missed seeing you, but he accepted what was going on. He was never ashamed of you and he knew . . . he knew that you were in prison under false pretenses. He also had faith that your wife would find a way to take care of you and she did. Hank was right to be confident and you need to just let this go. Live your life, Agent Booth. Be happy."

He turned to stare at Avalon. "No one told you I would be here?"

"Hank told me, Agent Booth." Avalon smiled. "I'm not a mind reader."

"Uh huh." Booth wanted to believe what Avalon had told him. "If only I had a sign that he's alright."

Avalon placed her hands on her hips. "What would you consider a sign? Hank says that you're too stubborn for your own good . . . He says don't forget to come visit him on Memorial Day and to go visit his friend James Rawlings over at Arlington too. He expects you to keep up family traditions. He wants you to eat a slice of green olive pizza on that day to remember him by."

Filled with disbelief, Booth stared in shock at the psychic. "Green olive pizza? How . . ."

"Hank told me." Avalon chuckled. "Someday you're going to believe me, Agent Booth."

He already did believe in her gifts, but he would never admit that to her or anyone else.

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	112. Chapter 112

(Season 10)

A/N: I had several requests for this story. I hope this is what you were looking for.

I really don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

He found her sitting in the Royal Diner, a neglected salad and a cup of coffee sitting next to the window and a newspaper spread out on the table in front of her. Sweets leaned over the counter where Jane was standing, ordered a cup of coffee and the house special and walked over to where Brennan was sitting. "May I join you?"

Her eyes still on the paper, Brennan nodded her head. "If you must." She was studying the ads, trying to find a house to replace the Mighty Hut, but so far she hadn't found anything suitable.

Staring at Brennan, Sweets noticed the black smudges under her eyes and worried that the pressure she was under might be too much even for her. "Haven't had any luck looking for the new house yet?"

"If I had found a new house, I wouldn't be sitting here looking at the ads." Brennan looked up and studied her young friend. "I don't wish to buy a house without Booth, but I don't have a choice. My daughter and I are living in a hotel and it is not an ideal situation for a child. She needs her own bedroom, a place that is hers. She needs the permanence of a home. Christine cries every night because she wants her house back. She wants her father and she doesn't understand why that is impossible, at least at this time."

"My offer still stands. You and Christine can move into my apartment while you look." Sweets hoped she would take him up on his offer. "My apartment has a spare bedroom and it's a lot more permanent than a hotel room. I have access to a swimming pool and there's a park five blocks from where I live. Plus, it would be closer to her school."

She appreciated the offer, but she had to refuse. "No thank you. When I move it will be into a permanent abode, one that I own. I cannot move Christine around like pieces on a chessboard. She needs stability . . . Angela and Hodgins offered to allow me to stay in their home and so did Daisy, but that is not what my child needs. It isn't what I need. I need a house and I will find one . . . I just wish that Booth was here to help me. He was so specific the first time we looked for a house and I need to know if he still has the same criteria . . . My lawyer contacted me this morning and I will be able to see Booth this weekend. Judge Watkins found the Attorney Generals' request that I not be allowed to visit my husband to be specious. In fact, the judge demanded that Booth be allowed any visitor that wished to visit him . . . Kerry Miller, my lawyer, thinks that the judge was suspicious and feared that Booth might be being abused. I will find out this weekend."

"Would you like me to go with you to the prison." Sweets intended to visit Booth when he could, but it was important that his first visitor was Brennan. "It wouldn't be a problem."

Brennan shook her head. "No thank you." She returned her eyes back to her newspaper. "I think I found a possible replacement for The Mighty Hut, but it is similar to that house and I'm not sure if I should consider it . . . I don't want the exact same house as before. We need a new start. If I choose a house that is similar to the old one, then I would be trying to recreate something that doesn't exist anymore. One of Booth's philosophies is never to look back, never live in the past. He believes in living in the here and how, so I think our new house should reflect our new beginning."

"A sound philosophy." Sweets had always suspected that the reason that Booth had not been warped by his father had been that he was an eternal optimist. No matter how bad things were, he had great hopes that things would be better in the future and that gave him strength. "Actually, the reason why I came looking for you is because I may have found a house for you. If the house you're interested in turns out to be unacceptable, then let me know and I'll arrange for you to get a look at the house I'm talking about."

Curious, Brennan rested her arms on the paper and leaned forwards. "How do you know about this house? Are you looking for a house too?"

Sweets knew he needed to tread very carefully. Brennan was very independent and didn't like anyone to interfere in her personal business. He was wise enough to know that if she thought he had found the house by accident then she would be more receptive. "Actually, one of the agents in The Science and Technology Branch is retiring. He is a client of mine and he told me that he is selling his house. He plans to put it on the market next week, but he said if you want to look at it first let him know. His name is Agent Bruce Christopher. I haven't seen the house, but he told me that it has three bedrooms, two baths, a spacious living room and kitchen and there's an office just off of the living room. The garage is attached to the house and the back and front yards are pretty big and there are a lot of shade trees . . . oh and he said there's a fireplace . . . and it's one story." He hoped he hadn't left out anything important.

Intrigued, Brennan waited for Jane to place Sweet's lunch in front of him before she said anything. "Is it close to a hospital and fire house. Booth insisted on that criteria when he bought the original house. Also, are there any parks close by? Schools? Grocery stores?"

A little overwhelmed, Sweets poked his meat loaf with his fork and then cut off a slice. "I don't know. You'll have to talk to Agent Christopher." While he ate his bite of meatloaf, he swore he could see the wheels turning in Brennan's brain. She was thinking about the house and Sweets hoped it was what she needed.

"I will call Agent Christopher this afternoon and see if I can see the house this evening." Brennan moved her salad and now cold cup of coffee in front of her. Motioning for Jane to refresh her coffee, she picked up her fork and speared a piece of tomato. "I need to buy a house and have it ready for when Booth is released from prison. After what he has been through, what he is going through, he will need stability too. If the house is ready for occupation when he returns home, it will help give him peace of mind . . . I wasn't able to save a lot of our things from the old house, but there are enough of his things to give him a sense that the house is his. I have everything that was in his office. It was in the garage when the house was destroyed, so his cameras are intact. He loves those." She just hoped she was able to get her husband released soon. She was afraid for his safety.

Sweets was too. "Tell you what. When you find the right house, let me know and I'll help you move your stuff from storage to the house. Also, if you need the help, I'll go furniture shopping with you. I have pretty good taste . . . at least my mother thought so. Just let me know and I'll make the time."

"I don't wish to impose." Brennan needed the help, but she had planned on hiring professional movers.

"What are you kidding me?" Sweets placed his fork down. "Booth is like my brother and really Christine is my niece. You guys are the only family I have, you know that. Let me help my family get settled in. Let me help get the house ready for Booth. I need to do something and that is definitely something I can do."

A faint smile on her lips, Brennan nodded her head. "Alright. I will take you up on that offer. When I am ready to move into whatever I house I buy I will let you know."

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After spending two weekends looking at furniture, curtains, rugs, bedding and the other things that make a house a home, Brennan was ready to move into her new house. Agent Christopher's house had been acceptable and between working on the case and trying to find a way to get Booth out of prison, she and Sweets had moved everything from storage to the new home as soon Agent Christopher moved out. Angela had volunteered to help as well as Hodgins, but Brennan wanted them to work on their case. She was counting on them to help her free Booth from prison as soon as possible and she didn't want them wasting time helping her with her new house. Since Sweets wasn't involved in the case, Brennan allowed him to help her set up her house while Daisy babysat Christine.

Unpacking the piece of airplane wing that had been recovered from the old house, Sweets felt his heart beat speed up. "There's two holes in this . . . two bullet holes. You don't really want to hang this up in the house do you?"

Carefully removing the piece from her friend's hand, Brennan walked over to the wall next to the fireplace and held it up. "Yes, of course. It may have holes in it, but that doesn't mean it should be thrown away. Booth loves this. He calls it art. I will not throw it away. It will be here in the living room waiting for him. He will be able to see that this is his house too. His things are here, not all of them, but enough that it doesn't matter. Some of his treasures survived and they deserve a place in our home. If he decides that he doesn't want it, then that is his decision to make, not mine."

He could see her point and didn't question anything else he found in the boxes. Once the bedrooms were set up, Sweets made sure Christine's bed was made and her dolls were lined up next to the pillows. He wanted her to feel comfortable in her room. He also set up a game of checkers on her little game table next to the closet and placed two dolls in the chairs. He hoped it was cute and she would laugh. The child had been miserable for weeks and she barely smiled anymore. He worried that Booth might never be freed and what it would do to Christine and Parker. They were children and to lose their father would be crushing for them. They both adored Booth and missed him. Sweets had called Parker and talked to him as soon as Booth had been arrested to let him know what was going on. The boy was growing up fast and Sweets had been amazed with the questions he had asked. Sweets had answered them as truthfully as he could and had promised to call the teenager every Saturday night to give him an update.

"We still have a few boxes to unload, but I think you and Christine can move in anytime now." Sweets entered the living room, and noticed Brennan standing near one of the cabinets holding one of Booth's cameras. The sad look on her face made him want to cry, but he knew that would be a bad idea. Brennan was being as strong as she could be, but the pressures on her were building. She had seen Booth in prison the previous day and noticed a bruise on his cheek. Upset, she had asked her lawyer to petition that Booth be put into solitary, but so far he was still in the general prison population. They all knew that they needed to work harder to get Booth out of prison and that needed to be done soon. "If you want, I can drive over to Angela's house and pick up Christine. You can continue unpacking and both of you can sleep in your own beds tonight."

Thankful for his help, Brennan placed the camera down and gave him a sad smile. "Yes, thank you. I'll start cooking a lasagna, so that we can eat at home tonight. You are more than welcome to join us. I will make enough for all of us and Christine will enjoy having company."

"Thank you, I'd like that." Sweets wanted to support Brennan and Christine as much as possible and eating dinner with them would be a small thing to do. "Want me to get some ice cream from the store on the way back? I'll let Christine choose her favorite."

"That won't be necessary. I have a quart of chocolate in the freezer." Brennan lost her smile. "She and Booth love chocolate ice cream."

Embarrassed that he had made her sad, Sweets searched his pockets for his car keys. "I'll be back as soon as possible."

Once she was alone, Brennan picked up the camera again and hugged it against her breasts. "I will get you out, Booth. I will not let you die in prison."

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	113. Chapter 113

(The Change in the Game)

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I don't own Bones.

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She thought she heard a moan and woke from a fitful sleep. Not sure why she had been so restless during the night, she turned over on her side and observed her partner lying next to her. He was sweating though the room temperature was comfortable. His head moved from side to side and his mouth twisted as if trying to speak but couldn't. As she watched she noticed that his hands started to clench and unclench by his side. His moans became louder and she debated whether she should wake him or not.

Gently placing her hand on his arm, she was startled when he rolled away from her, moved off the bed and fell on the floor. Afraid for her lover, she moved off the bed and hurried around to where Booth lay. Not sure what to do, she stood at the end of the bed looking down at him. "Booth, are you alright?" She wanted to touch him, but decided not to do that for the moment.

His voice was muffled by the carpet, but she did hear his reply. "Yeah . . . yeah." He continued to lay there trembling, trying to control his body. "Go back to bed . . . I'm fine."

"Booth, can I help you?" She knelt on the carpet, but refrained from touching him.

His body finally stopped trembling and Booth knew that the worst had past. Rolling over he sat up. "No, I'm fine . . . it was just a bad dream . . . I get them sometimes."

"Yes, I know." Brennan moved to sit cross-legged on the carpet. "I remember hearing you yell sometimes when you stayed in my guest bedroom and you had a bad dream when we were in Las Vegas."

Surprised, Booth cocked his head to the side. "You never told me that . . . I don't get them all of the time, just sometimes . . . I . . . the things I've done. They never leave me. The things that I've experienced . . . I wish I could forget them, but I can't."

"I understand." Not sure what else to say, Brennan decided her partner might need a diversion. "I have bad dreams sometimes . . . I dream about being abused while I was in foster care . . . sometimes I dream about killing Gil Lapin and sometimes I dream about you dying . . . that's the dream I hate the most. It's too bad we don't have any control over what we dream about."

Rising from the floor, Booth moved the few steps he needed to stand next to Brennan and reached down for her hands. Once her hands were in his hands, he pulled her up and then circled his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Yeah, if I could choose my dreams they would be dreams about us together . . . not war or killing . . . no pain, just love."

She held her arms around him and held him tightly against her body. "I'm sorry I touched you . . . when you were dreaming. I shouldn't have done that."

"No, don't apologize." He wanted to assure her that she hadn't done anything wrong even if what she said was true. "I just . . . when I'm dreaming and it's about . . . when it's about being a prisoner of the Republican Guard . . . I . . . I react if someone touches me. So far, I've never hit anyone. I hope I never do . . . I just move away from whoever touches me . . . I scared Parker once. He grabbed my arm and shook it when I was having that dream and I did what I just did now, rolled off the bed. The poor kid cried for quite a while. He was just four years old. It wasn't his fault, but he thought he'd hurt me. He didn't understand what was going on and I couldn't really tell him what I had been dreaming about. I just told him a monster was after me. He got it, at least I think he did."

She released him and brushed her hand against his cheek. "I'm not worried, Booth. Like I said, I have bad dreams too."

Relieved that she understood, Booth sat down on the edge of the bed. "You said that you dream about me dying . . . Is this about when I was shot by Pam Noonan?"

Moving closer to the bed, Brennan sat down next to Booth. "Pam Noonan and when the Grave Digger kidnapped you and left you on the ship, when Gil Lapin tried to kill you, when you were kidnapped by Melvin Gallagher, when Brodsky attempted to kill you and killed Vincent instead . . . when you were diagnosed with a brain tumor. You have almost died several times, Booth. I dream about all of those times."

Moved by the sadness in her voice, Booth placed his arm around her and pulled her closer to his side. "Bones, I'm sorry that I've caused you pain. Being my partner has put you through a lot . . . what I do can be dangerous and being my partner just . . ."

She didn't allow him to finish. "I chose to work with you, Booth. The fact of the matter is, I blackmailed you to make you allow me to work with you in the field. I chose this life and I wouldn't change anything. It has allowed me to study aspects of society I would have never known existed if I had stayed ensconced at the Lab. Your near misses have weighed heavily on me that is true, but working with you has benefited me more than caused me grief. I was a great forensic anthropologist before I started working with you, but I have become the best at what I do because of the opportunities I have had to add to my knowledge working cases with you. Some of the cases we have worked on were learning experiences and I doubt I would have been given the same opportunities in the Lab or working in ancient sites. I love being your partner and I love you."

Surprised, Booth paused before saying anything. "You've never said that before . . . that you love me . . . I love you too." This was the first time she had ever said she loved him and he was a little stunned. She had always told him that love wasn't real and he never expected her to say those exact words to him.

"When I was younger, I didn't believe that love was real. You know why." Brennan had been betrayed by her family and she had grown to distrust the concept of love. "I have changed my mind. You made me change my mind. Booth . . . you have been my friend for a long time. We've been through a few trials together and even though I refused to commit to you over a year ago you didn't stop being my friend. That was very important to me. Your friendship is very important to me. It showed me that I could trust you. Even when you were with Hannah you didn't stop being my partner and my friend."

Hannah had been a mistake and it had taken him a long time to realize that. "You're my best friend, Bones. You and I are sympatico. I've never had a friend like you and believe me it's important. When stuff gets rough we still find a way to be friends and that is rare. I won't ever take that for granted."

She knew he meant what he said. He rarely lied to her. "Yes . . . we won't take that for granted."

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	114. Chapter 114

(The year is 1999.)

A/N: This chapter is rated T for violence.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooo

Serving in the 5th Special Forces Group, Booth had the honor to serve in one of the most decorated active duty special forces group in the United States armed forces. He'd served in The Gulf War, Somalia, Guatemala, Kosovo, Afghanistan and numerous places that he wasn't allowed to talk about. Being one of the best snipers in the Army made him valuable and his skills were used when the situation called for it.

He was leaving the service soon. In fact, his mission in Kosovo was his last one and he was glad. That mission had proved to him that he could no longer do his job and move onto the next one. He had been given the task of killing the Serbian General Radik. The general had been responsible for the murder of numerous ethnically Albanian civilians. His goal was to make his country ethnically pure and he planned to do that by killing every man, woman and child that wasn't Yugoslavian.

Booth had found the man at his home, attending a birthday party for his small son. Always using high ground if possible, Booth had made his way to the top of an apartment building overlooking the backyard of the general's home. As long as the general was at the party, Booth had time to kill him, but he needed to avoid collateral damage. The backyard was filled with children and happy parents. The boisterous children ran around the yard playing games which made targeting the general very difficult.

His moment came when it was time for the birthday boy to cut the cake. General Radik had stood proudly next to his son and beamed his pleasure while the cake was cut. Booth aimed his rifle at Radik and took his shot.

He was far enough away, so he doubted anyone heard the shot fired, but they would have heard the crack of the general's skull when the bullet hit even though the music playing for the party was loud. Booth knew his shot had been successful when he saw the General's head explode. The sound of screams from the children, the terrified shouts from the adults as they lunged for the children, the blood splattered everywhere were sights Booth would never forget. Before he left, he saw the general's son grab the body of his father and scream. The boy was covered in his father's blood and Booth knew that no one at that party would ever forget that moment in time. He knew he wouldn't.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Aldo Clemens had grown to hate taking confessions from the returning soldiers, especially Master Sergeant Seeley Booth. The man was used for special missions and when he came back, the first thing he did was go to confession. Over the years, Father Aldo had heard about many of the grisly things that Booth had been ordered to do and most of them made him feel sick. He had become soul-sick providing absolution and he knew that he would have to walk away from the church soon.

Booth loved God and he hoped that God loved him, but Aldo knew that the sergeant was starting to worry about his soul. No matter how many times he had given Booth absolution, Aldo could see the doubt in the other man's eyes. He knew that Booth wanted to believe that everything between him and God was fine and he did his best to make sure the soldier felt at peace with God. He didn't want him to lose his faith and he found all the right words to keep Booth going, but inside Aldo knew that his own faith was slipping away and there was nothing that he could do to stop it.

When Booth came back from Kosovo, the man was clearly depressed. He couldn't seem to accept that what he had done had been the right thing to do. He came to Aldo and made his confession and that confession was a turning point for the priest. Booth told him about how he had killed General Radik at a birthday party in front of his young son. The screams of the children. The blood splattered clothes on anyone who had been close to the target. The terrified adults grabbing their children and running from the back yard to safety. Aldo had listened and managed to give Booth the absolution he needed, but he knew that that would be the last confession he would ever hear. He could no longer accept that what he did mattered. He was angry that the Army thought it was okay to send young men out to kill under the most heinous of circumstances and expect for them to remain whole and he was angry with God for putting him in a position that made him hear such confessions. He couldn't serve God anymore, he just couldn't.

Once Booth's confession was over, Aldo broke the news to Booth. "I'm not going to be able to hear your confessions anymore, Master Sergeant."

Aware that Aldo didn't know he was leaving the service, Booth patted the priest on his shoulder. "That's okay, Father. I'm getting out of the service at the end of the week. I've been accepted for training at Quantico. I plan upon becoming an FBI Agent."

Surprised, Aldo smiled. "Good for you. Good for you. I think you're making the right decision."

"I hope so, Father." Booth sat down on one of the pews near the confessional. "I'm still going to be in the reserves, so they can call me up when I'm needed, but basically I'm out. I've got a girlfriend in Washington D.C. and I'm hoping I get stationed at the Hoover. It will depend upon a lot of things of course . . . Where are you being transferred, Father?"

"Oh, I'm not being transferred anywhere. I'm leaving the priesthood." Aldo saw the look of shock on Booth's face and shrugged his shoulders. "I've come to realize that God and I don't really get along. He's asked me for more than I can give, so I'm leaving."

He couldn't get over the fact that Father Aldo was leaving the Church. "But . . . are you petitioning the Holy See to leave the Church? Won't you have to wait until they let you leave before you can quit?"

Aldo knew that Booth wouldn't understand, but he tried to explain anyway. "No, my enlistment is up in a few weeks. Once I'm out of the service, I'm just going to stop being a priest . . . It's okay, Master Sergeant, I know what I'm doing."

Studying the Father, Booth finally shook his head. "If you don't petition the Church then you'll still be a priest, Father . . . You've really helped me out over the years. I think you'll change your mind when your enlistment is up. You're really good at what you do."

"No, I'm not and I won't change my mind." Aldo was firm. He wasn't about to let Booth talk him out of what he needed to do. "I'm done. You're going to start a new life and I'm going to start one too." He held out his hand and waited to see what Booth would do. When the soldier stood up, Aldo was pleased that Booth shook his hand. "Good luck in the FBI. I hope you get what you're looking for."

"Thank you, Father." Booth was worried about Aldo, but he knew that the priest had to live his own life. He just hoped he realized before it was too late that the Church needed him. "I'll miss talking to you."

Aldo released Booth's hand and sighed. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not going to miss talking to you. You've been a trial for me. It wasn't your fault. I just don't have what it takes anymore. Good-bye."

As the priest walked away from him, Booth called out. "Pax vobiscum, Father." He hoped the Father found peace and happiness.

Waving his hand, Aldo kept walking. "Peace be with you, Booth."

Ooooooooooooooooo

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	115. Chapter 115

(The Steel in the Wheels)

A/N: Guest requested this story. I hope this is what you wanted.

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Oooooooooooooooooo

Cleaning out her father's desk in his apartment, Brennan came across a letter addressed to her. Curious, she opened it and found a letter from her father dated three months before he died.

 _Dear Temperance_

 _I wanted to apologize to you one more time about leaving you behind when your mother and I ran away from Vince McVicker. We knew that if we led him back to you and your brother we'd all be killed. We drove as far and as fast as we could to put as much distance as we could between you and us. It seems cruel now, but we were trying to protect you and Russ._

 _I blame myself for not making sure that Russ was taking care of you. I assumed that he was old enough and mature enough to finish raising you, but I know now that was a big mistake. You were placed in foster care and I know you had a very bad time living in that system. I know they try to find good families to place the children in, but some of them are in it just for the money and they don't care about the children left in their care. I know since I was a foster child myself._

 _If I had known that you were being placed into the system I would have found a way to get you back. I'm sorry. I hope that someday you can really forgive me._

 _I love you, Temperance. I have always loved you. You made me so proud to be your father and because of you, I have two beautiful grandchildren. Booth is a good guy and he will always take care of you. Yes, I know you can take care of yourself, but you know you can count on Booth to be there for you no matter what life may throw at you. I hope you two have a long and happy life together._

 _Love Max, your father, always._

Holding the letter in her hand, she sat down on the chair next to the desk and thought about her life right after her parents had abandoned her. She had been in Foster Care for three weeks when her 'foster family' had locked her in a car trunk for breaking a dish. The only reason why she hadn't died was because her social worker had paid a surprise visit and found her. After that brush with death, she was placed in another home, but the family didn't like her and it was decided that she should would be placed in a group home. The other children in the home ignored her and her new classmates taunted her, but it was better than being abused by a family that was supposed to be taking care of her.

Three weeks after she had been moved into the group home, her social worker came by accompanied by an older gentleman. "Temperance, this is Clarence Morningstar. He's your mother's father and he's here to take you home with him."

Shocked, Temperance stared at the old man and studied his features. "You don't look like my mother. She had dark hair and eyes. You have blond hair and blue eyes. Also, your face is broader than hers is and your nose is a Roman nose."

Amused, Clarence laughed. "My daughter Christine took after her mother not me which is probably a good thing . . . I didn't know you were in foster care until a week ago. Your brother told me where you were. I couldn't leave you here, so I decided to see if you wanted to come home with me."

"My mother never mentioned you and neither did Russ. As far as I know I don't have any family besides my parents and my brother." Brennan was suspicious. Should she trust this man?

Shrugging his shoulders, Clarence sighed. "Your mother and I haven't got along very well ever since she married your father. I didn't approve of Max and she didn't like that. I thought she could do better. Maybe I was right after all."

Since she hated living in Foster Care, Brennan decided she couldn't do worse living with a grandfather she had never heard of. "I will go with you." She didn't have anything else to say.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Once in Clarence Morningstar's home, Brennan found he was living in a modest house in Champaign, Illinois. He was retired and had a few hobbies to keep him interested in life. Giving Brennan a tour of the house, Clarence opened the door to a fairly nice bedroom. "This room is yours. You can decorate it anyway you want. I know young people like to leave their mark. My bedroom is down the hallway. The room across from you is my library. You can use it anytime you want to. I need to enroll you into school as soon as possible, probably tomorrow. What grade are you in?"

"I'm a sophomore. I was tested last year and the school I was at said that I could move up to my senior year, but my father said no. He wanted me to have classes with my peers. He said I had plenty of time to grow up."

"I see." Clarence shook his head. "Would you like to jump a few grades?"

Brennan shook her head. "No, my father wanted me to go to school with my peers. I trust his judgement."

"Alright." Clarence moved back into the kitchen. "You can go outside and explore or you can use the library. Whatever you want to do. I plan to start cooking dinner in a couple of hours . . . I'm going to watch TV if you want to join me. It's up to you."

Feeling a little strange living in a house with someone she didn't know but claimed to be her grandfather made her leery. "I'll stay in my room."

He knew that she was nervous around him and he wasn't sure what to do about it. "Okay, like I said you can do what you like . . . If you want, you can help me cook later. I'm making spaghetti."

"Alright." Moving into the bedroom, she dropped her sack of possessions on the floor and closed the door. The window next to her bed was large and was covered with white muslin curtains. Moving the panels aside she stared out at the neighboring house and wondered where her parents were, like she did every day. Were they alive or were they dead? Would she ever know the answer to those questions?

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Her new school was the way it always was. Her classes were interesting, but her classmates seemed to think she was a nerd and avoided her or made fun of her. She didn't really care. She'd had few friends growing up and had grown used to it over the years.

Each afternoon, when she returned to her grandfather's house, she found a plate of cookies and a glass of milk waiting for her. Clarence gave her the kitchen to do her homework while he worked in the garage. He loved to make clocks and he had a little work shop set up in the corner of the garage.

After dinner, Clarence watched TV or sat in his library reading. Since Brennan found television boring, she usually joined him in the library. The room was filled with ceiling to floor bookcases, filled with books and magazines. The old man had a great collection of nature and archaeology books. He also had a collection of National Geographic magazines and 'Archaeology Now'.

Fascinated, Brennan started to read them and found them to be exciting. "Are you an archaeologist?"

Clarence smiled and shook his head. "No, I couldn't afford to go to college when I was a young man, so I had to settle on doing manual labor. I worked in construction and learned the plumbing trade. You can make a good living using your hands, but I would have loved to have been an archaeologist . . . going to foreign countries, discovering old places, old cultures. Learning how the world worked a thousand years ago two thousand years ago . . . I think I would have been really happy doing that kind of work, but you have to have money to go to school or brains . . . You're smart, really smart. If you work hard, study hard, you can probably go to college for free. Some universities give full scholarships if your grades are good enough . . . What do you think you'd like to do when you finish growing up?"

"My father was a high school science teacher." Brennan stared at the book in her hand. "He was popular . . . maybe I could be a teacher."

"Do you really want to be a teacher?" He sensed she was holding something back. Curious he tried to get her to talk to him. "Don't get me wrong, teaching is a great profession, someone has to teach our kids, but if you think you want to do something else go for that. You don't have to follow in your father's footsteps."

Brennan looked at the books on Clarence's bookshelves and sighed. "I like anthropology. If I could do that for a living I think that would make me happy."

"Well then, you go for that." Pulling a few magazines from his shelves, he held them up. "These magazines are great. I've been subscribing to 'Archaeology Now' since I knew it existed. If you want I can subscribe to anthropology magazines."

She thought about it for a moment. "Thank you. I would like to read them."

"Good. I'll call the library down the street and find out what would be the best magazine to subscribe to." Clarence handed her the magazines in his hands. "You've got the brains Temperance. You could probably learn anything you wanted to . . . I like to learn things just to learn them. Never zero in on just one thing. Learn new things, different things, things that will expand your world. Be bold ask questions and never take no for an answer."

She found his words to be inspiring. "I will. Thank you for the advice."

"You're welcome."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next four months were filled with trips to museums, art galleries, workshops, lectures and visits to the botanical garden. Clarence wanted to expose Temperance to as much knowledge, art and science that he could. He wanted to inspire her to work hard in school and she did.

Brennan appreciated all of the things that Clarence did for her and she grew to love him. Since living with the old man, she had come to value his wisdom. Her father had always encouraged her to love science and math, but Clarence wanted her to see the value of knowledge. He wanted her to see the beauty in art and architecture the beauty of nature and the fact that learning about how to change a tire on a car could be just as important as learning how to do calculus. They all helped to expand her world and gave her confidence that she could do anything she wanted to.

Clarence was happy to have a young person in the house, but he sometimes found it exhausting to keep up with her. He was in ill health and he hid that from his young ward. His heart had been damaged the year before when he'd had a heart attack and he visited a lawyer to put all of his affairs right. He hoped that he would live long enough for his ward to reach her eighteenth year, but his doctor told him not to count on it. He had no one that he cared about except for Temperance and he needed to try to help her. She had felt the loss of her parents deeply and when Russ had abandoned her to the State she had given up on love. He hoped that he had shown her that love was real and that she deserved to be loved. He wanted her to go far in the world, but he knew she would have to do that herself. He wouldn't be around long enough to help her. He just hoped that what he had done for her was enough to set her on the right path.

Ooooooooooooooooo

She came home one afternoon to find Clarence in his room sleeping. After doing her homework, she entered his room to ask him when he planned to cook dinner and found that he had died. His skin was cold, so she thought it was possible that he had died while she was at school. Weeping, she called 911 and waited for someone to come and see about Clarence.

The next few days were a blur, but she soon found herself back at the group home she had been living in when Clarence had rescued her. She was alone again and she knew there would be no one else to rescue her. She had to take care of herself and that was fine with her.

Four weeks after Clarence died, a lawyer came to the group home to talk to Brennan. "Temperance, my name is Nash Adams. I was Clarence Morningstar's lawyer. I would have got back to you sooner, but I had a few things I had to take care of before I saw you . . . You were Clarence's only heir. He had no one else in his life. He left instructions to sell his house and its contents. After taxes and medical bills that money was placed in a college trust fund for you. He wasn't a rich man and he lived a modest life. The house was old and in an old neighborhood, so the selling price wasn't what I had hoped for . . . Now, as soon as you graduate from high school I need you to contact me and I will give you access to the money. I need to emphasize that the money is a modest sum and if you can get scholarships to a University that will help you in the long run. The money Clarence left you will help you, but a University degree is expensive as you probably know and depending upon what degree you are going after . . . well, it won't be enough to get you a doctorate if that is what you want. Clarence had hoped he would live long enough for you to graduate from high school, but unfortunately that didn't happen." Slipping a letter out of a folder he handed it to Brennan. "He left you this letter to be read when he died . . . I'm sorry for your loss Temperance. Here is my business card. Call me when you like. It doesn't have to be about business. Clarence used to call me just to chat. I have time since I'm semi-retired, so call me anytime." He smiled at her. "Clarence loved you." Standing, Nash sighed. "Clarence was an interesting character. Call me sometimes and we'll talk about him."

Once he was gone, Brennan had read the letter.

 _Temperance, I'm sorry that you're alone again. I tried to stay as long as I could, but if you're reading this then I guess I failed. I'm sorry._

 _Now, I have a few things I need to tell you. First, I'm not really your grandfather. I've known your father and mother for a long time. I lost contact with them in 1978, but they contacted me again in 1982 and we kept in touch via letters and a few phone calls._

 _Around Christmas time last year, I lost contact with them again. After a few weeks, I managed to find Russ. The State of Illinois was in contact with him because of you. Even though he had given you up to Foster Care, the state wanted to know where he was. Russ told me that Max and Christine had disappeared and their car had been found in New Jersey with blood in it. I guess it's assumed that they're dead. I'm sorry._

She had stopped reading and started to cry. She had assumed her parents were dead and now she knew. After a while, when she was calmer, she finished reading the letter.

 _I didn't want you to be in Foster Care, so I pretended to be your grandfather and thankfully they bought my story. I knew all about your family and I gave them all the right answers. Anyway, they let me take you out of Foster Care. I hope I did right by you. I hope you were happy while you lived with me. I lost my wife in childbirth when I was 32 years old. She was the only family I had left, so you being in my life this late in my life was a surprise. You're a very intelligent young lady Temperance. Your grades are top notch and I think you should try to get into a University. Get a degree in something you love. Hell, get two degrees or three. Do what makes you happy. I'm leaving you some money. I know it won't be enough to get a doctorate, but it will help with expenses and maybe pay for a decent apartment while you get your degree or degrees._

 _I love you Temperance Brennan. You're the granddaughter I could have had if my wife and child had lived. You take care of yourself. Remember, you have everything you need inside of you. You're strong and your independent and I know that you will go far in this world. Bye for now._

 _Clarence Morningstar, your grandfather in spirit._

Oooooooooooooooooooo

She hadn't thought about Clarence in a long time. She had remained in Foster Care until she graduated from high school. From there she went on to get two degrees, one in anthropology and one in forensic anthropology. The old man's money had helped her with expenses that her scholarships hadn't covered. Nash Adams had proved to be a good friend and she had remained in contact with him until he died just before she started working at the Jeffersonian.

Her parents and her brother had abandoned her, but Clarence and Nash had done their best to be the family she needed when she needed it. Max and Russ had reentered her life after her 30th birthday and she had tried to trust them and love them, but she never felt as close to them as she did to Clarence and Nash. They weren't related to her, but they had made her a part of their family because they had wanted to not because of an accident of birth.

Booth had told her more than once that there was more than one kind of family and he had been right. She had found people that she could trust to make part of her family and they had supported her through rough times and good times. Booth was her husband and her best friend, even if she wouldn't admit that second part. He had given her a family and she loved him and her children so much.

She had loved Max, but her father had betrayed her and she never could totally trust him. She knew she was going to miss him and she wished that they'd had a closer relationship, but she was fine with what they'd had. Max and her mother had abandoned her to protect her and she had grown to accept that. When Max had returned in her life, he'd tried so hard to be her father again and she had finally accepted his kinship. He had loved his grandchildren and he had placed himself in jeopardy to save their lives from Mark Kovac. Ultimately it had cost him his life and she would always be grateful that he had been there to protect her children. Max wasn't perfect, but who was?

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

A/N: In the episode 'A Boy in a Bush', Brennan claimed that her grandfather had rescued her from Foster Care, but we never heard anything about that later. It's not certain if she was telling the truth or not. This is my explanation about what had happened.


	116. Chapter 116

(The Suit on the Set)

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I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Making a movie had been more exciting than she had thought it would be. Allowed to solve a murder while her movie was being made had just added to the experience. To see her words being spoken by actors had always been a dream of hers and now that had been accomplished. Booth had told her that she could check that off of her bucket list, but since she didn't have a list then she would forgo that particular ritual.

Glad to be back home, she had appreciated the care that Angela and Hodgins had given Christine. Her daughter was happy to see her and Booth and they were both happy to see her. This had been the first time that they had been separated from their child and they had worried about her the whole time they had been gone. They had known Christine was being well taken care of, but they still worried.

Angela had met then at the door with their baby in her arms. "Hey look Christine, Mommy and Daddy are home."

The child had squealed upon realizing that her parents were standing in front of her and reached for her mother.

"She missed you the first few days, but Michael Vincent played with her and that helped." Angela smiled as Brennan rained kisses on her child and Booth held the baby's hand between his long fingers. "Hey, do you want to stay for dinner? Today is the anniversary of Vincent Nigel Murray's death and we're having fish and chips in his honor."

Her face suddenly pale, Brennan stared at her friend and struggled to say something.

Aware that Brennan was upset and appeared to be on the verge of tears, Booth placed his arm around his girlfriend. "Thanks Angela, but we'd like to go home. It's been a long trip and we're tired. We'll get together tomorrow."

Disgusted that she had upset her best friend, Angela placed her hand on Brennan's arm. "Honey, I'm sorry. I . . ."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Angela." As quickly as she could, Brennan stepped away from Booth's arm, left the house and walked rapidly over to her mate's SUV.

"I'm sorry." Angela touched Booth. "I shouldn't have mentioned him."

Booth patted her hand and shook his head. "He was her favorite intern . . . it was tough to watch him die. Especially when the bullet was meant for me."

"Don't say that Booth." Angela gripped his arm. "Don't say things like that."

"Why not? It's the truth." Turning, he strode down the sidewalk and met Brennan standing next to his SUV. "Hey are you alright?"

"I . . . I didn't remember the significance of this day . . . I . . . I didn't remember." Much to her annoyance, she didn't remember anniversaries like the average person did. She knew she wasn't very sentimental and that placed her at odds with her friends and family. "I'm sorry."

Booth pulled her into his arms, careful not to squash his daughter against Brennan. "Don't be sorry Bones . . . You remember my birthday and Pop's and Christine's . . . well, she isn't a year old yet, but you'll remember it when it comes. I don't expect you to remember the anniversary of everything that happens in your life or my life." He pulled a little away and kissed her and then the cheek of his whimpering daughter. "Look let's go home. You're tired and I think Christine would like to go home too."

Wiping a tear from her cheek, Brennan nodded her head and turned to strap their daughter into the safety seat in the passenger seat. "I'm not unfeeling, Booth. I feel things."

"Of course you do." Booth knew that Brennan had a hard time expressing herself sometimes. It wasn't that she was cold he knew that she felt things deeply. Hurrying around the SUV to the driver's side of the truck, he entered his truck and waited for Brennan to do the same. Once she was safely inside, he turned in his seat to look at her. "Hey, I know that Vincent was your favorite squint because you saw a little of yourself in him. He was a genius and he loved his job. I also know that you don't want to get too attached to anymore of your interns because of Zach and Vincent, but don't cut yourself off too much. Those squints admire you and want to learn from you. They've studied hard to get the honor to work with you and that's not a small thing."

"Yes, I know. I only take the best of my students as my interns." She loved teaching and mentoring, but she never wanted to get so close to her interns that she would mourn them if something happened to them. It was painful. Watching Vincent die had been heart crushing and to see that happen again would truly be terrible. "I will do my best to train them, but I can't . . . I can't get too close to them."

He understood. "You know, as a Ranger I saw a few of my brothers die. They were young and full of life and to see them die . . . it's hard, but it's part of life. It was part of my life. I was prepared to die and I knew that my brothers were too . . . Of course I didn't want to die and neither did my brothers, but we were prepared because we knew that what we did was dangerous . . . Those squints that work with you. They want to be forensic anthropologists. They want to use their skills and some of them are going to end up going to dangerous parts of the world to do their work . . . They know that their jobs are going to put them at risk and they're prepared to do that. Vincent may not have been in the field when he died, but we were working on a very dangerous case at the time. We were after a dangerous sniper and all of our lives were in danger. I'm sure Vincent knew that . . . He didn't want to go in the end because he had so much he wanted to do. He wanted to live, but the life he had led had been interesting and he had been doing something he loved."

Grateful for his words, Brennan knew that her mate knew what it was like to see a comrade die. He knew it wasn't an incidental thing. "Yes, he loved forensic anthropology and he was eager to help me with my presentation at the conference. You saw how happy he was when our t-rex arrived. He was very enthusiastic . . . I miss him." She felt a tear slide down her face.

"Yeah, I know you do." Booth wasn't sure what else he could say that would make a difference. Leaning over he kissed her. "Let's go home. We'll have a drink in his honor. I know I owe him a debt of honor . . . His death helped us cross that final line. Life is short and I think we were forced to admit that when he died in front of us . . . I know we were going to cross that line sooner or later, but his death pushed us and . . . well, I didn't really know him that well, but he was a good guy. Hodgins and Angela liked him well enough to name their baby after him. He was a good intern and you liked him. He affected a lot of lives, Bones. He didn't walk through this world unnoticed. That's isn't a small thing . . . Do you understand?"

"Yes, I think so." Brennan felt better. What Booth was saying made sense. "Let's go home, Booth. It's been an emotional day today . . . an emotional week. We need to go home."

Glad that she appeared to be calmer, less sad, Booth turned in this seat and started his truck. "You got it Bones."

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	117. Chapter 117

(After The Change in the Game)

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I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

It was two in the morning and Booth had gone to bed late when his phone rang. Groping for it on the nightstand, he managed to knock his clock onto the floor before finding his phone. "Booth."

 _I'm in trouble. I . . . my sponsor is out of town . . . I . . ._

"Gavin? What's going on? Where are you?" Booth could hear the fear in Gavin's voice mixed with anger and something else he couldn't quite place.

 _I shouldn't have called you. Just go back to sleep. It's alright._

"Wait! Gavin tell me where you are." Booth moved to the edge of the bed and searched for his underwear. "Come on man, you called me. Tell me where you're at."

 _The pool hall. You know the one on Columbia Road?_

"Yeah, stay there. I'll be right there." Ending the call, he grabbed his underwear and jeans from the floor and slipped them on. Grabbing a t-shirt from the dresser, Booth walked around the bed and shook Brennan's shoulder.

"Do we have a case?" Tired, she flipped the cover to the side and sat up.

Kissing her cheek, Booth smiled. "Go back to sleep. We don't have a case. Gavin called and something's wrong."

"Your GA sponsor?" Puzzled, Brennan stared sleepily at her boyfriend. "Why is he calling you?"

In a hurry, Booth found his shoes and slipped them on. "I think he's in trouble. His sponsor is out of town. I'm going to the pool hall on Columbia Road. I'll be back as soon as I get Gavin straightened out."

"Pool Hall?" Brennan slipped out of bed and began to dress. "I'm going with you."

"No, you don't have to lose sleep too." Booth was ready to go. "I'm just going to check on Gavin and see what's going on."

Worried that Booth was going to a pool hall, Brennan continued to dress. "Booth, I'm going with you. I'm your partner. It's what partners do." She had heard him tell her that often enough. Now she was using that on him.

Grabbing his keys, wallet and badge from the dresser he waited for Brennan to put her shoes on. "Okay, but you don't really need to go with me . . . but thanks."

"You're welcome." Her purse in the living room, Brennan grabbed the strap and lifted it to her shoulder as she passed through the room. "I won't interfere, Booth. You may approach your friend by yourself. I am merely going with you as backup."

"Okay. Sounds like a plan."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Once they were in the pool hall, Brennan walked over to the bar, ordered a club soda and sat down. Her plan was to keep an eye on her lover, but to let him handle his meeting with Gavin by himself. She just wanted to make sure that Booth didn't falter and play any games for money. Playing pool would be fine, the minute she saw any money appear she would intervene. Her partner worked too hard on his sobriety and she wasn't going to allow him throw it away. Not if she could help it.

Spying Gavin hunched over a pool table, Booth took in the fact that there were two gruff looking characters standing near the table, holding cues and glaring at Gavin. Careful not to alarm the two men, Booth moved casually over to the pool table and watched as Gavin ran the table. He could see why the two men he was playing against were angry. Gavin was good at what he was doing and that was a problem for them.

Once Gavin was done, he straightened, grabbed the money siting on the ledge of the pool table and smiled. "Thank you. It's a pleasure doing business with you."

Before either of the men could reply, Booth placed his hand on the table. "Gavin, I need to talk to you."

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth's sponsor pocketed his money and moved to join Booth. The two waiting men protested. "Hey, you can't walk away with our money. We should get a chance to win it back."

Annoyed, Booth flashed his badge at the losers. "I have business with Mr. Chadwick."

Surprised, both men looked at each other then back at the FBI Agent. "He took our money."

"He beat you in a fair game. If you can't stand to lose, don't play." Booth placed his badge in his jacket pocket then flipped his jacket aside to show his gun. He was in no mood to play games. "Like I said, I have business with Mr. Chadwick. Walk away while you can."

Furious, both men turned on their heels and moved over to another table. Once they were out of earshot, Booth began to talk to Gavin keeping his voice low. "What's going on Gavin?"

Embarrassed, Gavin racked up the balls on the table. "I told you not to come, Booth. I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?" Booth leaned on the table and watched the two men nearby also rack up some balls on their table. "As far as I know you haven't gambled in eight years . . . something must have happened to make you think it was okay to give up your sobriety."

Solemnly, Gavin began to run the table again. "A friend of mine from the 101st Airborne committed suicide this morning. His wife called me and let me know . . . He and I used to gamble together. He was the greatest pool player I'd ever met . . . Cory gave up gambling a few months before I did. He was the one who talked me into going to Gamblers Anonymous . . . Katy, that's his wife called me and said that his brother Felix borrowed some money from him and Felix refused to pay it back. Cory was counting on the money being paid back. It was part of his son's college fund. When Felix refused to give it back, Katy said that Cory got worried about their son and he started gambling to try to get the money back that way. At first it was okay, but he beat the wrong guy. Cory won over $20,000 from some guy yesterday and when Cory walked away, the guy followed him to his car, beat him up and took the money back plus all the money Cory had on him, about $5,000. He called Katy crying at around three in the morning . . . He told her what happened, said he was sorry and he shot himself in the head . . . If a guy like Cory can fail then what hope do I have, Booth? He was the one who got me to quit and now . . . and now Cory is dead. He was one of the good ones and Katy . . . Katy and their son are devastated . . . I don't know what to do. I thought maybe I could earn the money for Katy to give to their son . . . I know that this is wrong, but what about Katy? What about her son Wyatt? I don't know how else to help them."

As firmly as he could, Booth placed his hand on Gavin's cue, pulled it from the man's hand and placed it on top of the table. "What about your wife and daughter, Gavin? You start gambling and what happens to them when you start circling the toilet? Yeah, you want Katy to get her money, but gambling isn't the way to do it. I have a friend who's a prosecuting attorney and I work for the FBI. Let us look into Cory's death. Maybe we can track down the guy that robbed him. In the meantime, Katy can sue Felix for the money. You don't have to throw your sobriety away like this Gavin . . . Think about your family. Think about your daughter. You've got a good relationship with her since you gave up gambling. She doesn't want to lose her father again."

Booth's words beat into him and made him realize that he was risking too much. Cory had been like a brother to him, but he knew that Cory wouldn't have wanted him to ruin his life because of something he'd done. "When Katy called she was crying and I could hear Wyatt crying in the background. It was awful and I thought maybe I could fix this, maybe I could get the money back . . . I called you because deep down, I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I couldn't stop myself. I needed someone to stop me . . . Thanks."

"Not a problem." Booth glanced at the bar and noticed how intently Brennan was watching him. "Hey, I know what it's like not to have anyone in my corner. It's tough, but you're not alone. You have me and if Clarence was in town, he'd be right here knocking some sense into you . . . you don't have to take on Cory's burdens by yourself. Let me help. Maybe we can do something about the money. I know a few good lawyers. I'll give you their numbers and you can give them to Katy. She can go after Felix and if she loses, then . . . well at least she tried."

Gavin glanced over at the two men who were now arguing about the game they were playing. "Those guys aren't going to be happy when I walk out of here."

Since he didn't care, Booth shrugged his shoulders. "Just leave and I'll make sure they stay here."

As Gavin made his way to the door, the younger of the two men started to walk after Gavin. Booth stepped in front of him and held out his hand. "Go back and play pool." His hand near his gun, Booth let it be known he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Grumbling, the young man stalked back to the pool table, picked up his cue and turned to face Booth. "If that ass comes back here he won't like what I do to him."

"If he comes back, then he'll deal with you." Booth walked over to the bar and sat down. "That went better than I thought it would. Gavin is going home."

Leaning the side of her head on her hand, Brennan smiled at her boyfriend. "Good . . . would you like to go home? I'm supposed to be at the Lab at eight, but I think I'll take the morning off."

"Thanks for coming with me, Bones." Booth stood up and held Brennan's hand as she hopped down from the bar stool. "It's going to be a long day today, but it was worth it. Gavin is a good guy. He just needed some help. We all need help sometimes."

"If you ever need help, you can count on me, Booth." Brennan clasped Booth's hand as they moved towards the exit. "I am your partner and that is what partner's do."

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	118. Chapter 118

(After 'The Pain in the Heart')

A/N: Rate T for language.

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I don't own Bones.

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She hadn't meant to tell him, but they were having drinks at the Founding Fathers and Brennan had drunk a little more than she had meant to. Zach's betrayal was weighing heavily on her mind and Booth had thought a few drinks would help them both unwind. She should have gone home and worked on her latest book.

The last few weeks had been very emotional for Brennan and she hoped she never had to deal with such an upheaval in her life ever again. First, she had thought her partner had died. No one had told her that he was alive and that his death was a ruse, so she had mourned for his death like any good friend would. That mourning had included anger. She hated that Booth had stepped in between her and Pam Noonan and taken a bullet meant for her. She hadn't asked him to do that. She would never ask him to do that.

Secondly, during Booth's funeral he had made an appearance and captured a known terrorist with her help. The shock and the anger she felt was very real and almost overwhelming. She thought it outrageous that he hadn't called her to tell her that he was alive. What kind of friend does such a thing? She had felt betrayed by someone she had thought she would always be able to trust and it was hard to forgive that.

Thirdly, Booth had found out that it had been Sweets' responsibility to tell her that he wasn't dead and that angered her further, but not as much as the fact that she knew that he had done that to experiment on her. Sweets had used her like a lab rat and she did not appreciate his obvious lack of ethics.

Then came the real tragedy, Zach had turned out to be Gormogon's apprentice. He had helped a cannibalistic serial killer and Brennan was left wondering what other betrayals were waiting for her in the future.

"Come on Bones, drink up. This has been a shitty month as far as I'm concerned." Booth drank some of his beer and placed the glass back on the table. "I'm sorry that you didn't know about my death, but like I told you that was Sweets' doing. I've made sure that never happens again, believe me."

"He experimented on us." It had slipped out. Normally she was totally in control of the things she said, but the combination of grief, confusion and just plain anger made the words come out. She didn't know if she was trying to punish Booth since it was his idea to let the psychiatrist write a book about them in turn for his profiler services or if she was just too angry with Zach to use caution, but the deed was done and she couldn't take the words back.

It was as if she had dropped a bomb on the table between them. "Experiment? What the hell are you talking about? Who experimented on us . . . Sweets?" He felt his blood pressure starting to rise. "What do you mean?"

"He didn't tell me you'd died because he wanted to observe the way I reacted. He wanted to use that information for his book he is writing about us." The thought that someone would do that to her and too Booth was mind boggling.

Furious, Booth pounded his fist on the table. "Who does something like that?" Filled with rage, he grabbed his wallet from his pants pocket, pulled some bills from it and threw them on the table. "You wait until I get my hands on that little bastard." Standing, Booth placed the wallet back in his pants. "Call a cab, Bones. I have something I have to do."

Alarmed, Brennan stood up and followed Booth from the bar. Once they were outside she grabbed his arm and pulled on it forcing him to stop. "Stop Booth. If you attack Sweets, if you hurt him then they'll kick you out of the FBI. You can't attack him just because he did something you don't like."

"Don't like? What he did was unethical. He needs to lose his job. I'm not a puppet. You're not a toy to be played with. We're human beings and by God no one has the right to use us for some damn book." He was trying to control his anger, but he was barely able to talk he was so angry. "He betrayed us and he needs to pay for that."

She held on to his arm as tightly as possible, unwilling to let him go. "No, Booth. No. You cannot hurt him. They will kick you out of the FBI and our partnership will be severed."

"So, he gets away with what he did?" Booth didn't want to lose the job he loved, the partner he was so proud of, but how much crap was he supposed to take? "He doesn't pay a price for what he did?"

"No, he doesn't. If you hurt him, you will lose your position at the FBI. If you complain, I am sure he will use some psychobabble to excuse what he did and no one will take it further. He won this round, but we can use it against him. You can use his profiler service but we can refuse to allow him to ever interview us again. He will have to write his book without our input." Brennan felt Booth relax, but she judiciously held onto this arm. "I really hate psychology."

Deflated, Booth placed his hand on his partner's hand. "This is my fault. I should have never let him write his book. It was a mistake. I'm sorry."

"It's been a long day, Booth. Go home, take a hot bath, listen to music, but don't smoke a cigar. That is not a healthy habit."

Patting her hand, Booth smiled. "Okay . . . I should have called you. I'm sorry that I didn't. Protocol or not, relying on someone else to do the right thing didn't work out for either of us . . . Go home and don't worry. I plan to keep away from Sweets for a while. If I don't I might slug him and we both don't want that to happen."

As she watched him walk away, Brennan hoped her partner kept his word. The last two weeks had been miserable and the thought of Booth losing his job just made her sadder. She liked Booth. Besides Angela, he was the best friend she had ever had. She wanted to continue that friendship, but she knew it would be jeopardized if Booth lost his job. She would never trust Sweets for what he had done. He had cracked the trust she had between her and Booth and that was unforgivable.

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The next week proved to be a trial for Dr. Lance Sweets. Whenever he called Booth, the agent would hang up on him. If he tried to corner the older man in his office, Booth would leave the room without speaking a word. He had sent emails and text messages and they had all been ignored. He knew that Booth was angry with him about his failure to inform Brennan that his death had been a ruse, but he had thought Booth would be an adult about the situation. After all the Agent had given him permission to write the book about him and Brennan and that required a few experiments. Didn't it? Plus, it had been a matter of national security.

Frustrated, Sweets called Brennan to see if she would intervene for him with Booth only to be told he had made his berth and now he had to slumber in it. Not sure what else to do, he decided to stay away from Booth for the time being. He hoped that time would take care of the Agent's anger.

In the meantime, fate intervened in the form of Dr. Gordon Wyatt. The man was working on a special assignment in Europe but was in town to visit his sister. Popping into Sweet's office to say hello, he was confronted with a very sad psychologist. "Dr. Sweets, how are things?"

Glad to see Gordon, Sweets stood up and invited the man into his office. "Can I talk to you, Dr. Wyatt?"

"Of course, I have a few minutes." Curious, Gordon sat down and waited to see what the younger man wanted from him.

Nervously clearing his throat, Sweets wondered if he was making a mistake. Deciding to be truthful, he told Gordon the entire story about Booth's undercover assignment after being shot by an obsessive woman. He didn't omit the fact that he didn't tell Brennan that Booth was alive but gave the excuse that it had been done for national security reasons, the fewer that knew about the Agent's mission, the better.

Silently listening to the story, Gordon was appalled with the younger man's decisions. After the story was told, Gordon twisted his lips momentarily and wondered how he should handle the situation. "So, has Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan forgiven you for your rather misguided decision?"

"No, Agent Booth won't talk to me and neither will Dr. Brennan." Sweets sighed. "I'm writing a book about them with their permission of course and I can't continue if they won't talk to me . . . I know that I should have told Dr. Brennan, but it was a matter of national security."

"Are you sure it wasn't to experiment on Dr. Brennan?" Gordon suspected Sweet's motives and he didn't like the thought that he had been this unethical with the woman's mental well being.

His cheeks a bright red, Sweets leaned back against his chair. "Dr. Brennan accused me of that too, but it wasn't an experiment."

"I see." Gordon didn't believe Sweets, but motives are hard to prove. "Would you like me to talk to Agent Booth?"

"Would you, that would be awesome." Sweets was desperate to get back into Booth's good graces. "Thank you."

Standing, Gordon stared down at the young psychologist. "I'm not sure what good it will do. He may not wish to talk to me either." Turning he left the room leaving behind a man who wished he had a time machine and could undo what he had done.

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Surprised, to see Gordon, Booth invited him into his office. "Gordon Gordon, nice to see you."

"I was passing by and I thought I'd pop in and see how you're doing." Gordon sat down and studied the Agent. "I heard that you were shot and that your 'death' was used to capture an international terrorist. Good show."

"Yeah, we got him." Debating with himself for a moment, Booth leaned forward on his desk. "Sweets was given the responsibility of telling Dr. Brennan that I wasn't dead. He didn't do it and now she's mad at me . . . it wasn't my fault that Sweets didn't tell her, but you know how she is. She thinks I should have ignored protocol and told her anyway . . . She uh . . . she thinks Sweets experimented on us. He wanted to see how Bones would handle my death." He didn't say anything else. He needed to see how Gordon would react to what he had said.

Aware that Booth was studying him intensely, Gordon was careful to keep his face neutral. "Do you think that's true? You do know that if you think he's done something unethical you can file a complaint . . . of course, ultimately he could lose his job and his license to practice if you do."

Leaning back against his chair, Boot folded his arms against his chest and stared at his former psychiatrist. "I gave him permission to write a book about me and Bones . . . I shouldn't have done that. I think his book is more important to him than it should be. Bones is really mad about this whole situation. She thought I was dead and when I showed up at the funeral it just blew up. She blames me for not calling her even though she was on my list and I wasn't supposed to contact anyone . . . I should have called her anyway. I'll never make that mistake again."

"Would you like me to talk to her?" Gordon was sure that Booth was more worried about Brennan's anger than Sweets' betrayal.

"No, she's going to forgive me . . . I think." Booth sighed. "She's all about trust. She thinks I betrayed her by not calling her and she thinks Sweets used her as a guinea pig in some damn experiment. This is all fucked up . . . it doesn't help that her intern turned out to be a serial killer's apprentice. She's really upset about that and I've tried to help her out dealing with that, but it's going to take some time . . . The people she thought she could trust betrayed her. She'll deal with it because she's strong, but she shouldn't have had to deal with any of this crap. She didn't deserve anything that happened to her in the last few weeks."

A little shocked, Gordon realized that there was a lot more to the story than Sweets had said. "Her intern was in league with a serial killer? That's terrible . . . I hope she doesn't blame herself."

"She does a little, but she's more upset that Zach betrayed her beliefs. She's a scientist and she uses her ninja mind skills to get justice for victims of crimes . . . To find out that someone she worked with worked for a serial killer was pretty devastating . . . it shook up her world. She's going to get over me being shot and faking my death a lot sooner that Zach's betrayal . . . He was more than a colleague to her, he was like a little brother. They were pretty close. I just hate that we found this out right after my fake death and Sweets not telling her it was fake. It's like fate just piled up on her."

"I see." Gordon understood and hoped it all worked out. "Are you going to forgive Dr. Sweets? I think he wishes he could redo what he did. He seemed regretful when I talked to him a while ago . . . Are you going to file a complaint?"

Booth shook his head. "No, what would be the point? He screwed up and he needs his ass kicked, but I don't want to ruin his life over some half-baked shit he tried to pull. If I hadn't given him permission to write the book none of this would have happened. Well, the Zach thing would have happened, but none of the rest would have . . . I'm just going to make Sweets sweat for a couple of weeks that's all. Make him think twice about using people in experiments . . . I figure that's how long Bones will be mad at me then we'll be good again. She needs time and so do I."

"Alright." Gordon hoped that Booth was correct and that all would be well in the end. "Well, if you ever need to talk to me, please feel free to call me. I'm only a phone call away."

"Thanks, Doc." Booth stood and shook the man's hand. "Life is never easy at least not for me and Bones. We're used to it."

Gordon shook the agent's hand and released it. "Yes, but some lives are harder than others. I'll see myself out."

After Gordon was gone, Booth made a phone call. "Hey, Bones want to grab lunch at the diner with me?"

 _Yes, I am hungry. I'll meet you there in thirty minutes._

"Right, thirty minutes." The call ended, Booth leaned back against his chair and closed his eyes. The last few weeks had been crazy, but if Brennan was eating lunch with him then he felt that their relationship was on the mend.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	119. Chapter 119

(The Pain in the Heart)

A/N: Rachel, Guest and anne1585 wanted a sequel to chapter 118. They felt it wasn't complete, so here goes. I hope this is what you were looking for.

I don't own Bones.

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The scene at the funeral had played out rather strangely to Ms. Caroline Julian and she decided that she wasn't going to be satisfied until she found out what was going on. The funeral had been set up to capture a known international terrorist using Seeley Booth's funeral as bait, but to have a fist fight between the agent and the terrorist at the funeral had not been what she had expected and when Dr. Temperance Brennan had hit Booth after he thanked her for helping him knock the killer out, well there was definitely something wrong.

Once she was back in her office, Caroline started looking into the details of Booth's undercover mission. It had been set up rather hurriedly and the prosecutor knew that something must have slipped through the cracks if the best investigative team on the east coast was carrying on in such a bizarre manner. Caroline had expected smiles and congratulations all around once the mission was revealed, not Brennan slugging her still recovering partner and leaving him on the ground as she walked away. If someone had dropped the ball, she was going to find out about it.

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Not sure why he was being ordered to appear at Ms. Julian's office, Sweets felt like a child being ordered to appear at the principal's office. The prosecutor had a tough reputation and part of that was impatience. Normally, if she wanted to see someone she just showed up in their office, but this time he was being ordered to appear in her office. He felt a certain ominous tone coming from her demand and he didn't like it. Was it possible that Booth had complained to Ms. Julian? If he had it was completely out of character. Sweets was still learning what made the FBI Agent tick but running to someone higher up in authority when things didn't go well wasn't his style. Was it possible that Dr. Brennan had complained? Again, that sounded completely out of character. Dr. Brennan usually took care of things herself. After all, she had told him that she had figured out that he had experimented on her and she had threatened to sic Booth on him if he did it again. He took that threat very seriously and he no intention of every experimenting on the partners again, at least not the way Booth's undercover mission had been handled.

Filled with trepidation, Sweets knocked on the prosecutor's office door and waited for her to motion him inside. It was in his best interest to observe protocols and he would let her make the first moves.

Spying the young psychologist standing outside her office, Caroline flipped the folder she was looking at closed, leaned back against her chair and motioned for the young man to enter her office. _This is about to get interesting._

Careful to keep his face neutral, Sweets entered the office and closed the door behind him. "You wanted to see me?" He wasn't about to volunteer anything. This was her party and he was there to see how it played out.

Motioning towards the chair in front of her desk, Caroline realized that Sweets was going to make her do all of the heavy lifting during this meeting. _The cochon._ "It has come to my attention that you were responsible for notifications during Booth's undercover mission. You were given a list of those that were to be told that he was still alive and you failed to notify Dr. Brennan." She had made a few inquiries and the head of security at the Lab had informed her about the conversation that Booth and Brennan had just after the funeral and that had told her everything she needed to know about what was going on. Once she realized that Brennan hadn't been notified that Booth was alive then the scene at the funeral had made perfect sense. The forensic anthropologist had either felt betrayed or used or both by her partner and that was not conducive for a good working relationship. Sweets had played with a finely tuned machine and Caroline was furious.

"Um, yes, I was given the list by the Deputy Director. Since I am a clinical psychologist he knew that I had the expertise needed to break the news to Booth's loved ones." Sweets saw the glint in Caroline's eyes and knew he had better elaborate. "When it came time to tell Dr. Brennan I decided not to tell her because of National Security. She wears her heart on her sleeve. If she knew that Booth was alive then she would not show the world that she was mourning. It was imperative that the world believed that Agent Booth was dead."

Slowly leaning forward on her desk, the prosecutor stared at the young man and knew that he was lying. She had a gift when it came to reading people and she knew that she was being lied to. "You were given a list of people to notify and it was not up to you to edit that list. You had no authority to deviate from that list. Now tell me why you thought you had that authority."

Nervous because the conversation was already going sideways, Sweets leaned back against his chair. "I was picked by the Deputy Director because he knew that I knew Dr. Brennan and I would know what to tell her. I was doing my job."

"You were not doing your job, Dr. Sweets." Caroline felt her anger growing. "You let Dr. Brennan believe that a man she has known for four years and worked with for three was dead. You let her think her partner was dead. It was cruel and pointless . . . or was it pointless? I know about the book you're writing about Booth and Dr. Brennan. He told me about it when you first started profiling for them on cases . . . Did you use this undercover mission as a chance to experiment on those two? Did you want to observe Dr. Brennan actually mourning Agent Booth?"

"What?" His voice squeaked and the skin on his cheeks turned a bright red. "No, I didn't do that. I told you I decided that Dr. Brennan is a poor actor and she would blow the undercover operation if she was told the truth."

Caroline felt her pulse starting to increase. "And I don't believe you . . . You have worked with those two for less than a year and you think you know them. You don't know them at all. A few meetings in your office doesn't make you an expert on the workings of a Federal Agent and a Forensic Anthropologist and their partnership. It doesn't make you an expert on them at all . . . You do realize that Dr. Brennan blames Agent Booth for what has transpired? The man was shot and when he woke up, he was already part of an undercover operation. He didn't have a say in what was happening, but he did have a say about who would know about him being alive. Dr. Brennan was part of that list. You chose to ignore that list and now you have caused a rift between those two . . . I have people telling me that Dr. Brennan feels betrayed by her partner. You did that Dr. Sweets. You acted callously towards sentient human beings. I don't know where you got your license from, but I assume it wasn't from the back of a comic book or in a box of Cracker Jacks."

"Look Ms. Julian . . ." Sweets was staring to worry about his job and his future.

"No, you look." Caroline was struggling to control her temper, but she was so mad she was beside herself. "What's done is done. This is going to be how it is . . . if those two can't come to an understanding and they can't save their partnership, you will be out of the Hoover within the week. Seeley Booth happens to be one of the best agents I have working for me. He relies on his partner to give him the necessary information he needs to close complicated cases. They have a system and you have tampered with that system. Their solve rate is the envy of the FBI. The CIA has been trying to poach Agent Booth for years and if you destroy his partnership with Dr. Brennan I wouldn't be surprised if he jumps ship and it will all be because you couldn't do your job properly. You messed with the wrong people, Dr. Sweets. You've messed with my people. I expect loyalty from everyone that works for me and I give them my loyalty back in return. You're an outsider, an interloper brought in because Booth arrested Dr. Brennan's father. Well that has played out and Max was found not guilty. That means that you have no reason to be their psychologist anymore."

Afraid that his career was sinking fast, Sweets decided to ask for mercy. "I made a mistake."

"A mistake? Putting salt in your coffee is a mistake. Manipulating your patients was a gross dereliction of duty and the Deputy Director agrees with me." She saw him turn pale and felt a sense of satisfaction. "Yes, this meeting was ordered by Deputy Director Bishop. He heard the rumors and he was given a report about the funeral. Believe me, he had someone look into it at the same time I did and we both know that what you did was unprofessional . . . This is how it's going to be. You are on probation. I'm not sure why except that Bishop knows that Booth likes your profile work and he thinks you're good at your job." She sniffed. "If we ever hear about anymore experiments on patients, if you ever try to manipulate Booth and Brennan again, if you ever fail to do your job properly you will be fired. And maybe you better think about this. If that partnership fails and Booth leaves the FBI . . . well, you won't like what happens to your career. Am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am." If Sweets had a time machine he would have used it to undo what he had done, but he didn't have one and now he had to live with the consequences. "I understand completely . . . I . . . I really did think I was doing the right thing, even though it looks really bad."

Suddenly tired of the whole situation, Caroline motioned for the young man to stand. "This interview is over. I have important work to do . . . You made a very bad decision, Dr. Sweets. You manipulated two very fine people. I advise you to find a way to make it up to them. Your best bet is to get back into the good graces of Agent Booth. If you can win him over then Dr. Brennan will more than likely go along with it. This should have never happened and God help you if you ever do it again."

"Yes ma'am." Sweets knew that he as being given a life saver and he would take it. "I'm sorry."

"You should be." Caroline waved the young man to the door. Once he was gone, she made a phone call. "I placed the fear of God into him like you wanted me to."

Deputy Director Bishop liked the sound of that. " _Good. Sweets is brilliant and he's proven to be a valuable asset to the company, but he needs to understand that there are lines that cannot be crossed. I hope you told him that if the partnership is sunk then so is he."_

"Oh, believe me, Cher' I did." Caroline flipped the waiting folder open. "I'm pretty sure he understands what's at stake for him as well as us."

" _Good."_ Bishop had wanted to fire the psychologist, but Caroline had talked him out of it. She had a pretty good team working for her and she didn't want to remove any of the pieces. The Deputy Director understood what she wanted and he had allowed her to take care of the situation. _"Hopefully Booth and Dr. Brennan will get through this. We need them. They make us look good. Damn good."_

"They really do, Sir." Caroline ended the call. She had wasted enough time on foolishness.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thanks you.


	120. Chapter 120

(After 'The Party in the Pants')

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

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Stunned. That was what Booth felt along with rage and disappointment. His mother had come back into his life and at first, he had been happy. It had been a long time since he'd seen his mother and to find out she was alive and well was a relief.

As an FBI Agent, he could have done a search for her at any time, but he had promised himself that he would leave her alone. She had run away from her husband after a terrible beating and being thrown down a flight of stairs. Booth had been nine years old at the time. Marianne's injuries were numerous and she had been hospitalized. Watching her being wheeled out of the house on a gurney and placed in an ambulance had been the last time he'd seen her until the present.

That night he had heard his father beating his mother and he had vowed to stop it, but as he had descended the stairs he had heard a wild scream in the kitchen. Rushing into the room, he heard crying and shouts coming from the basement. He had swallowed his fear and when he stood in the doorway, looking down, he had seen his mother lying on the floor and his father yelling at her to get up. Afraid, he called the operator and told the lady on the other end that his mother had fallen down a flight of stairs and needed help.

While his father had raged at his mother, he had opened the front door and waited for help to arrive. Once the EMTs were there he led them to the kitchen and pointed at the basement door. By then Edwin Booth had realized that his wife was injured too badly to move and was relieved to see the EMTs. He never questioned his son about calling for help which surprised Booth.

He remembered standing on the porch, his brother holding onto him tightly, shivering and crying. His own tears had fallen that evening too and the look of fear on his father's face would forever be with him.

When his mother had not returned, he had assumed she was too afraid to come back and he had tried to accept that. He had hoped that she would remember she had children and come back for them, but she never did. Booth had tried to protect Jared as much as possible from his father's wrath, but there was no one there to protect him. It had taken a miracle to save him. One horrible Saturday afternoon, his grandfather had come by to borrow the lawnmower from his son and found Edwin brutally beating his oldest son. Hank had lost it, struck his son and banished him from the house. He had placed his grandchildren in the car, loaded their clothes, shoes and some of their toys in the trunk of the car and that was the last time Booth and Jared had seen their father.

His mother showing up seemed like a God send. Marianne looked healthy and strong and she wanted to see her son. He had thought that they could be a family again and he had eagerly introduced her to Brennan and Christine. They had reminisced about his youth when they were still in the same house and for the most part that was fine until she brought Edwin into the conversation. He never talked about his father and he didn't want to be reminded of the ugliness he had witnessed as a child. They danced and that too brought back warm memories for both of them. He had some good memories as a child, but most of them involved his mother.

Her visit was going well, until she invited him to give her away at her upcoming wedding. She was marrying her piano player and that was fine with Booth, but then she mentioned Reggie's kids. She had told him that he was going to have a brother and a sister and he was stunned. When she had run away from Edwin she had found Reggie and they had toured clubs together. She had also started a relationship with him and she helped raise his two children.

Outraged, Booth couldn't believe it. His mother could raise another man's kids but had no thought about her own children. He and Jared had needed a mother, someone to protect them from Edwin Booth, but she had not thought of them at all. It was too much and he had walked away from her. His mother had betrayed him and expected him to accept it.

That afternoon, Marianne had confronted him in his office. She had told him that she was going to forgive herself even if he wouldn't and she was going to be happy. She had wanted him to taste her little bit of happiness and he couldn't take that away from her.

Once she was gone, Booth wasn't sure what to think or to do. His mother had abandoned him to his fate when she had left him with his father. She never contacted him nor did she tell anyone about what was happening in Edwin Booth's house. She left her children to be beaten almost every day while she found a new family to live with. New children to take care of. She was happy with what she had done and he was supposed to accept it.

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Brennan had talked to him about forgiveness, but it was so hard to do. His mother had thrown him and his brother away when they were young. She had given no thought about what it was like to be tortured by Edwin and to be under his control. No thought what so ever. He needed to talk to someone that knew what he had gone through. He needed help.

 _Hank Booth speaking._

"Hey Pops, listen . . . uh . . . Mom showed up." Booth wasn't sure what he wanted to say and hoped that his grandfather would help. "Yeah, she just showed up a few days ago."

 _Okay . . . Did she say where's she been?"_

"Yeah, she's been working in Atlantic City and living with some piano player and his kids . . . She's been busy singing and raising Reggie's kids . . . not her kids, a piano player's kids." He was so angry he could barely talk.

 _I see . . . why did she come to see you? Did she say?_

"Yeah, she's getting married to the piano player and she wants me to give her away." He paused before he spoke again. He wasn't sure how his grandfather was going to react, but he wanted to be honest. "When she told me about the kids and how she raised them . . . I lost it, Pops. I yelled at her. I couldn't believe she had the nerve to tell me that she had raised someone else, but not her own kids . . . She left me and Jared behind, Pops. She ran away and started a new life and didn't give a shit if we lived or died."

 _I'm sure she did care, Seeley, but Marianne . . . Marianne rarely talked to me. She wrote jingles for an ad agency and she raised her family. She never told me about what Edwin was doing. I don't think she told anyone. Maybe she was scared or maybe she thought it would get better . . . I never knew about the beatings you kids took from your father until I found him beating you that day and I took you and Jared from him. I thought about it afterward and I realized that Marianne had probably been beaten too. I guess I'm stupid because I never connected the dots. Edwin called me one evening and told me that his wife had fallen down some stairs and was hurt. I went to the hospital and visited her, but she didn't talk to me. She just stared at me and I left. The next call from Edwin was to tell me that she had left the hospital and he didn't know where she went. I assumed she was tired of being tied to a barber who drank too much, but I swear it never dawned on me that your father was abusing her. It never crossed my mind._

"Pops . . . Pops, I never blamed you alright? My father was the one who beat me and Jared and Mom, you saved me and Jared from that. No way can you blame yourself for what Dad did. No way . . . but Mom, she left us behind. She didn't tell you or Aunt Ruth what was going on. She just left us to our fate and . . . and found a new family . . . Pops, I don't want to be vindictive. I don't want to be my father . . .

 _Whoa, right there, you just stop right there. You are not your father. You are not abusive towards your family . . . you aren't, are you?_

"Ha! If I ever hit Bones in anger or our baby she'd kick my ass from here to Sunday. No one messes with Temperance Brennan . . . I love her and Christine, Pops. I would never hurt them. Never, but Mom . . . I don't know what to do about Mom. I don't know if I hate her or love her. It's messed up. I want to forgive Mom, but I almost killed myself because the beatings my father gave me were getting so bad I was losing hope. The only thing that kept me from doing myself in was because I was afraid that God wouldn't forgive me, then you saved me and . . . and I was safe." His feelings running high, Booth cleared his throat and wiped a few tears from his cheeks.

 _Son, you never told me that . . . Seeley, your mother was a victim of abuse like you were. Abuse can affect people in different ways. You . . . You fight evil in the world. You found a way to go after the ones who commit evil and you try to fix it or at least give families closure . . . Marianne ran away and started a new life. It was all she could do. I'm sure she loved you, but she wasn't strong enough to take care of anyone else just herself . . . she found a family and I guess this piano player gave her what she wanted, a family without the drama. I don't pretend to know what was in her head all these years, but you need to remember that she was a victim just like you were. Yes, I can see why you're angry with her, but maybe you should just let it go. Holding on to wrongs doesn't solve anything and those feelings can kill something inside you . . . Your father was shot down in Vietnam and he never flew again . . . he kept hate in his heart because of that and eventually that hatred turned to drinking. I guess it was a quick slide into hating everyone and abusing your mother and you kids were the final step . . . You don't have to go down that path. Just forgive your mother and let it go. It's what I would do._

Staring at the toes of his shoes, Booth knew that his grandfather was right. If he didn't want to be his father, then he had to let things go. He needed to forgive and forget. "Thanks Pops. I knew that you could help me . . . Bones tried to help me. She gave me the same advice you just gave me . . . She's a genius you know."

 _Yeah, I know . . . Do what you have to do Seeley, but don't let the past chew you up._

"I won't Pops. I think you and Bones are right. Mom can have her happiness with my blessing. It's all I can give her Pops."

 _It's enough son. I promise you that it's enough._

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


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